ILO is a new educational robot, created in Quimper, France.

And describing it as "highly adaptable" would be an understatement.

Designed to teach programming progressively, the ILO robot can be programmed through a mobile app by beginning students. Then, as these students continue learning, there are intermediate lessons, with block coding, through the Vittascience platform.

And for advanced students, ILO can be programmed with the Python language.

The innovations don't stop there.

ILO can move both forward and sideways, due to the construction of its mechanical wheels. It's open-source, so users can create and 3D print their own accessories. It's made for durability, so that parts are easily reparable or replaceable.

In other words, this is a robot designed to travel through the user's learning journey.

ILO Founder Simon Le Berre shared the story of creating his innovative educational robot, explained its capabilities and discussed what may be coming next!

"Speaking their language," says EducateAug Founder/Company Director Tim Limon.

He's explaining his approach to empowering students through creativity and XR.

Tim, who is both a media professional and an education professional, works with U.K. students on improving their reading and phonics skills. His Manchester-based educational technology company boosts student literacy skills through interactive work in augmented reality, extended reality and AI.

Tim starts with the students' interests--then gets them involved in creating social-media content, based on the music, movies and other areas that spark their imagination.

And as the students create their content, they're incorporating phonics and reading--along with a considerable amount of fun and imagination.

Along the way, Tim makes sure that his young creators, who often have low self-esteem due to having fallen behind their peers in their classwork, get a new perspective on themselves and their skills.

"I just want to help children realize...that they are assets," he says.

While Educate Aug is a relatively new company, one of Tim's products--the Augmented Reality Phonics Soundboard--has already earned a Finalist spot in the Innovate UK Immersive Tech Awards.

Additional creations include a holographic testimonial, as well as a Cosmic Canvas, which you can see on Instagram.

Tim shared the story of Educate Aug, explained how his AR Phonics Soundboard works and talked about his creative journey.

This post and podcast are for informational purposes only, and are not intended as legal advice. Please contact a legal professional with any law-related questions.

"I think we, as human beings, are at our best when we are using AI as a thought partner," says workplace futurist and bestselling author Marti Konstant.

Her advice for making artificial intelligence your "thought partner", as she explores in her book, “Activate Your Agile Career: How Responding to Change Will Inspire Your Life’s Work“? Start at the level of your profession.

And from there, you can customize the ways AI can work, to enhance, rather than replace, your own creative talents.

In this interview from September 2024, we discuss the ways Marti's term “AI-gility” allows users to put artificial intelligence to work to spark new ideas.

Marti talked about her background, explained some of the ways artificial intelligence can boost the creative process for artists and educators, and offered a look at some of her favorite AI resources.

Glide is on the cusp of changing lives.

As the world's first intelligent guide for the blind and users with low vision, this groundbreaking autonomous technology empowers users to safely navigate wherever they'd like to go.

Creator Amos Miller is the Founder and CEO of Seattle-based mobility aid company Glidance. A software engineer and business innovator, Amos first developed technology to assist the blind and low-vision community while working with Microsoft.

Amos, who explains that he lost his sight as a college student majoring in computer science, says this particular innovation came about as a combination of his experiences.

And the sound-based technology he developed, for the blind, while at Microsoft, set the stage for Glide.

Technically, Glide is an autonomous device with two wheels and a handle, somewhat reminiscent of a small lawn mower. A user, Amos explains, activates the device by setting it down in front of them and nudging it forward. Then, using sensors and artificial intelligence, Glide navigates a safe path for that person to travel.

However, "autonomous" doesn't mean "motorized". The user is in control at all times.

"We want to keep all the agency in the hands of the user," Amos says.

Amos explains that the device will adapt to the environment, warning its user about obstacles. It's designed to allow them to cross streets safely, find doors, safely navigate stairs and confidently travel to a destination.

And currently, Glidance is getting ready to ship the first Glide devices to users who have pre-ordered! While pre-orders have sold out, there is a waitlist available. Delivery of this first shipment is expected later this year.

Basing his new device on his own experiences and feedback from beta testers, Amos and his team have revised Glide several times, to better serve the low-vision community.

Users, called "Gliders", have a community and can get updates through Glidance's website, and several virtual "Demo Days" are forthcoming, for new prospective Gliders to try the technology.

In addition, Amos adds, a "road show" is scheduled for later this year, where Glide comes to different cities for information sessions.

Amos talked about his creative journey, shared the story of Glide and offered a preview of what's next!

Was math class fun, when you were in school?

Finland's number-one digital math learning platform, Eduten, is making a "yes" answer far more likely, from students all over the world.

Known for its excellence, the Finnish educational system is based on research into learning--and on innovations based on those findings.

Accordingly, Eduten incorporates these concepts, to make learning math (or teaching it) a customizable experience, engaging and empowering students.

With lessons for grades K through 12, Eduten engages and challenges students, even as they "play".

And the platform isn't limited to teaching math, says Eduten Co-Founder and CEO Henri Muurimaa. Eduten is set up to allow teachers to teach any subject, while focusing on individual students' needs and learning styles.

Henri shared the story of Eduten (which has won two prestigious United Nations awards so far!), talked about some of his favorite experiences introducing it to classrooms around the world and explained how teachers can access the platform for their classrooms.

The world's first metaverse for musicians, Meloscene, is counting down to launch!

Meloscene's beta launch is scheduled for Spring, 2025. Currently, the platform is accepting sign-ups, with the question,"What's your Meloscene?"

This is about creative collaboration, and community-building, all over the world.

And behind the vision: multi-award-winning musician: and futurist Chad Gerber.

Chad, who has garnered multiple gold and platinum records, says the inspiration for Meloscene came from his experiences as a professional musician.

Long travel hours traveling, expensive venues and geographical distance between potential collaborators all had him dreaming of a better way to present his creative work.

The result: Meloscene, of which he shared the story in our 2023 interview!

Switzerland-based digital education company Acktao has a new application, DRIVE--just in time for CES® 2025!

And the goal: to empower the next generation, ages 25 and under, to gain digital literacy through gamified experiences.

"We are teaching students how to make their digital life more secure," explains Acktao Co-Founder and CEO Cecile Maye.

In our 2023 conversation, Cecile shared the story of her company and some of the ways their applications empower users through engaging, gamified experiences.

One of their new applications: DRIVE, which is the world's first digital drivers' license program.

"We give (participants a) different way to play, and learn through playing," Cecile explains.

As students play, DRIVE teaches them to watch for "traps", such as devices which hackers have modified, that could compromise their online security. The program will react in real time, adding new occurrences based on their actions. At the end of each scenario, the program reviews the participants' actions and their choices.

Then, each time they play, they can level up, learning from new and more advanced narratives.

Acktao is also currently working on additional new programs, including one about online security risks involved in working from home. Pilot programs are in progress, and Cecile says updates will be available on their website; they also have a newsletter for which future clients can sign up.

"We want to have the scenarios (crafted in such a way) that every second makes sense,' she explains.

Cecile, who will be exhibiting DRIVE in CES® 2025's Eureka Park startup area, offered a closer look at DRIVE, explained an application that helps users identify real photographs versus fakes, and previewed what's next!

Groundbreaking human-detection sensing company Algorized is at CES® this week!

And if you're attending the conference, in Las Vegas from this Tuesday, January 7th through Friday, January 10th, you may well be wowed by what the technology can mean for you in daily life.

Switzerland-based Algorized focuses on human safety and well-being. The technology can save lives by locating people trapped in an emergency situation.

It can also tell how many people are in a room, determine physical state (including heart rate and breathing) and even register their attention, or lack thereof, to a message!

And those are just some of its capabilities, in the human-machine interaction area.

"How cool is that, that you can save people's lives," says Algorized Co-Founder and CEO Natalya Lopareva.

But, she adds, she and her team have considerable curiosity to explore additional applications, going forward. Office management, the automotive industry and entertainment are among the other possibilities she mentions.

"We realize that every single industry is looking for people positioning," Natalya says.

"...(And) we want everyone to build more and more use cases, based on (our technology)."

While Algorized is still a young company, they've garnered some impressive accolades. FastCompany named them Innovation Technology of the Year in 2024, and they've participated in two accelerator programs, as well as receiving an invitation to TechCrunch's prestigious 2023 Startup Battlefield 200.

And if you're attending CES®2025, be sure to stop by the Eureka Park® startup area, on Level One of the Venetian. You'll find Algorized in the bright-yellow Switzerland pavilion.

Natalya shared the story of Algorized, the creative process that went into designing her multiple award-winning technology, and several possible use cases.