Google Project Bloks Update: Tangible Programming Kit Inspired By LittleBits, Lego?

Google Project Bloks aims to develop a new way to teach children tangible programming, primarily computational skills. Reportedly, it took inspiration from littleBits, a similar programming kit that resembles Lego, and connects one board to the other through magnets.

Google Project Bloks' approach is similar to other toys, but the difference is that they have achieved their project through awareness and credibility. Although Project Bloks is still under beta tests, the future reportedly has a good outlook for this project with many developers working together to bring programming closer to children, Wired reported.

Google Project Bloks aims to make programming easier to understand and allow children to expand their imaginations. A Blok consists of 3 major components, which are the puck, the base board, and the brain board.

The Google Project Bloks' puck is programmed for commanding instructions such as turning an object on or off or moving an object up and down. The puck is placed on top of a Base Board. A Base Board reads the instructions of the puck and can be connected to other base boards with different puck instructions to form a unison of instructions for a specific object. The last component is the Brain Board. It serves as the connection board that allows the Baseboards to physically execute the puck instructions.

The Google Project Bloks boards can be arranged in any way the user wants, just like building blocks. The application can perform many other tasks such as become a remote control, speakers or light switch. 

Google claims that in the 21st century, the ability to learn codes is essential; hence it is important to start learning the trick at an early age, The Inquirer reported. Google is not the first company to create a project about programming for kids. Other toys such as the board game Robot Turtles also enhances cognitive learning, specifically programming.