Telecom Lead Asia: Chip major Qualcomm and Sesame Workshop, a nonprofit educational organization, will collaborate for mobile learning applications aimed at childhood education.
As part of the agreement, Qualcomm will conduct research and development activities with Sesame Workshop to deliver innovations in mobile educational content.
Qualcomm is demonstrating the first applications at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show.
The chip major said Abby’s Fairy Rock and Big Bird’s Words will include examples of never-before-imagined content and hints at the possibilities to come.
An app called Big Bird’s Wordswill feature Qualcomm Vuforia augmented reality (AR) platform’s text recognition capability. Within the app, children are guided, via the use of a virtual ‘wordoscope’, to search for and find new words in their environment -making vocabulary building a fun and interactive experience.
Abby’s Fairy Rock (a working title) introduces preschoolers to the building blocks of music by allowing children to turn a tablet into a guitar and learn about musical concepts such as tempo, while interacting and playing along with Sesame Street’s Abby Cadabby on a smart TV/STB Development platform powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Qualcomm’s AllJoyn peer-to-peer technology blends the game experience between the TV and mobile device.
In addition, Qualcomm and Sesame Workshop are continuing their collaboration in China and India through Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach initiative to bring educational information to underserved children.
In India, Sesame Workshop’s Galli Galli Sim Sim, the Indian version of Sesame Street, is using 3G mobile technology to distribute radio content, videos and fun lessons about healthy living and good hygiene habits, as well as literacy and math, to migrant children ages 5-8 and their families.
In China, a project launching later this year, will provide tips, activities and other tools to help families with young children prepare for emergencies. These projects are just two examples of the ways mobile can positively impact early childhood and improve literacy rates globally.
