Maker Faire Report - Teaching Kids Java SE Embedded for Internet of Things (IoT)
- by hinkmond
I had a great time at this year's Maker Faire 2014 in San Mateo, Calif. where Jake Kuramoto and the AppsLab crew including Noel Portugal, Anthony Lai, Raymond, and Tony set up a super demo at the DiY table. It was a simple way to learn how Java SE Embedded technology could be used to code the Internet of Things (IoT) devices on the table.
The best part of our set-up was seeing the kids sit down and do some coding without all the complexity of a Computer Science course. It was very encouraging to see how interested the kids were when walking them through the programming steps, then seeing their eyes light up when telling them, "You just coded a Java enabled Internet of Things device!" as the Raspberry Pi-connected devices turned on or started to move from their Java Embedded program.
See:
The AppsLab at Maker Faire
It will be interesting to see how this next generation of kids grow up with all these Internet of Things devices around them and watch how they will program them. Hopefully, they will be using Java SE Embedded technology to do so. From the looks of it at this year's Maker Faire, we might have a bunch of motivated young Java SE Embedded coders coming up the ranks soon. Well, they have to get through middle school first, but they're on their way!
Hinkmond
