David Merrill: Siftables, the toy blocks that think

http://www.ted.com MIT grad student David Merrill demos Siftables -- cookie-sized, computerized tiles you can stack and shuffle in your hands. These future-toys can do math, play music, and talk to their friends, too. Is this the next thing in hands-on learning?

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

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[newengland72]

I think the point of these is the potential, not what they are currently configured to do.

[Narwal88]

Not useless at all. The application is already in many video games and computer screens.

But I guess you have to have the proper imagination to figure out how to apply these things.

Imagine therapy for people with brain damage, or applications in environments where someone is trapped underground.. it would help if the computer knew which way is up. No?

[walterj89]

that word game looked like fun...

[StringsCrusader]

this is fucking awesome. i cant wait to see what this'll lead to.

[WorthlessLoser8]

Is it possible  to make these in hexagonal and triangular forms?

[iDaruma]

Wow, yeah, you're right, why make new games ever?

[danrisch]

Absolutely amazing potential. If you look at iPhone/iPad (fingers sliding over a glass screen to get things done), it doesn't really make sense as a tool for humans. We are much more used to moving objects and manipulating our physical surroundings to accomplish tasks. I think this fits a lot better with how we're supposed to work, somehow?

[crudhousefull]

Great additional tool for kids to learn

[Grey249]

"here we have a word game that's like a mash-up between Scrabble and Boggle".....or you could just play scrabble or boggle.

[Nicolasfoto]

Brilliant!!



[timetrippertube]

子供達に遊び方を探させるということは使い道が分からないという­こと。

おそらく子供たちは石ころでも同じ遊びをすると思う。

つまり要らないものかも。

[SergioAMTAS]

2+3=5

*Applause* WHOO!