Tactile Tool Simplifies Neural Networks for Kids
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Touretzky works on code for the Plush Neuron.
How do you teach a sixth grader what a neural network is? A team at Carnegie Mellon University believes the answer might be soft, squishy, and lit with LEDs. “Everyone, even middle schoolers, needs to know a little about these building blocks of artificial intelligence, just like it’s important to know the basics of how electricity works or what a molecule is,” said Computer Science Department Research Professor and IDeATe instructor Dave Touretzky.