Two recent Stanford graduates are trying to get more girls interesting in technology — by embedding it in dollhouses.
The founders of Roominate, Alice Brooks and Bettina Chen, took the concept of building toys for girls to a whole new level by adding wires and generators.
What was originally meant to be just a dollhouse built from colorful building pieces and connectable motors became more as both boys and girls used their kits to create objects ranging from cotton candy makers to double-decker bridges. The founders say they’re considering building components that would enable kids to go beyond mundane terrestrial objects, like cars and trains, to sci-fi film-worthy components, such as spaceships and rockets.
In the latest installment of Youth Radio’s Brains and Beakers series, Brooks and Chen showed how Roominate works.