back

Kano

Kano is a creative computing company founded to help kids make, learn, and play with technology. As VP of software, I shepherded their online community — which Wired termed a 'GitHub for kids' — to over a million users, together sharing more than 70,000,000 lines of code; and owned the software side of the company's range of kits, including the Pixel Kit, Motion Sensor, and Kano PC.

Two Nap UI apps: pop, pop, pop; and push, push, push

Kano World & Kano Code

Kano World is an online community with more than 100,000+ active users. It allows kids to make and share creations; and try out (and build upon) games, music, and interactive art made by other kids. As the product manager for Kano World and code, I managed the product vision and roadmap for the community tools, creative code editor, and gamification systems. I was responsible for ensuring the platform was compliant with COPPA and GDPR, integrating the tools into all Kano hardware apps, and ensuring future revenue potential by testing paid membership options.

Harry Potter × Kano

One of my favourite projects: in 2018, we built the Harry Potter Coding Wand, helping more than 150,000 kids enter the Wizarding World, write their first lines of code, learn about motion sensing technology, cast spells, and control their own creations with a wave of a wand.

The Coding Wand launched in 2018. It was a Toy of the Year Finalist 2019, it won the CES Innovation Award, was a Time Magazine Best Invention 2018, and was Best in Book for the Creative Review Annual.

Experience

The code editor uses simplified block-based code, with a live updating view of the creation. As code is edited, the output updates in real time, encouraging quick experimentation. To bring the Wizarding World to life, we created a system of physics and particles that could be coded to create magical effects.

To teach the principles of code, from sequencing, to loops, logic, and arrays; we created 70 step by step challenges. Each creates a new spell.

And to keep budding wizards coming back for more, we built a reward system of unlocking rare avatar items, and linked everything up to the Kano World community.

Technology

The Wand itself has a 9-axis IMU, a button, haptic motor, an RGB LED, and a SoC for processing and communications (over BLE).

The software for the wand discovers and connects to a nearby wand via Bluetooth; is capable of complex 9-axis data filtering to accurately map physical wand motions to an on-screen cursor; and uses a machine learning model to detect specific spell shapes. It’s built using web technologies, wrapped in Electron (MacOS, Windows 10), and Cordova (iOS, Android, FireOS), distributed though all major app stores. More importantly, it’s a playful and fun way to learn some code, with whimsical graphics and a simplified (but powerful) coding API for kids.