UCL startup Musemio helps children explore tech history from home

The new educational programme, called ‘Hellenic IT Museum: Computer Paradeisos’, aims to provide children with a gamified quest – using a series of mazes, challenges and mini-games.  This initiative will engage them with the origins of computer technology featuring artefacts and exhibits from the Hellenic IT Museum in Athens and is aimed at children aged seven and over.

Children will learn about Moore’s Law of technology and get to jump inside the computer, into a circuit-like labyrinth.  Within this maze, they learn about computer parts like RAM and motherboards. Other challenges they may face include finding their way around a room with the first gaming equipment. Children will learn about the original gaming consoles, play a mini ‘old school’ video game on the computer and learn about gaming tech, such as the joystick. By the end of all of the mini challenges, they will be able to combat a fictional computer virus.

Musemio develops mobile virtual reality games that allow children to explore the history of computer technology in a fun and inspiring way. The vision of Musemio’s co-founders UCL alumna Kaitlin Fritz (MA History of Art 2018) and Olga Kravchenko, is to allow children to explore an imaginative technology-inspired world.  

Available for teachers and parents to download on any smartphone, the VR adventures encourage children to learn about computers by completing several heroic challenges, whilst being taught the basics of engineering and developing a deeper understanding of the history of computing.

Through Musemio’s partnership with the Hellenic IT Museum they’ve been able to gamify the museum’s artefacts for an international audience at a time when the demand for home-based interactive content is particularly high.  The Hellenic IT Museum is the first official Greek organisation that exclusively exhibits IT history from 1970 to the mid-1990s. Musemio has been scaffolding the rich educational content onto the museum’s collections to provide an engaging VR adventure.

Kaitlin Fritz, Musemio co-founder said, “This new Musemio mobile VR experience will open up the exciting world of the history of computer technology for children in a way that they understand — through play. Our adventure is immersive with quests and games that bring to life fascinating stories to be found in the Hellenic IT Museum. We believe it will not only spark their imagination but also increase their curiosity to learn more about computer technology.”

Martin Davies, Director of Innovation Partnerships, UCL Innovation & Enterprise (I&E) commented, “We are very proud to see Musemio, one of our award-winning startups, launching this valuable educational technology tool to aid remote learning through such an exciting VR adventure.  This partnership with the Hellenic IT Museum is an inspiring initiative that allows for the wonder of a rich cultural showcase to reach straight into the homes of children across the world, which is particularly valuable at a time when schools are shut for many students.”

Musemio is built upon pedagogy developed from research at UCL Institute of Education’s (IOE) Educate Program and Finland’s world-renowned xEDU educational accelerator programme.

Professor Allison Littlejohn, Director, Knowledge Lab, UCL IOE added, “The need for high quality, online education for children has never been so great. The gaming and VR features of the Hellenic IT Museum allow for the sort of playful and experiential learning that children enjoy. Teachers and parents can be reassured that the pedagogical design is based on research on AI for education facilitated by learning scientists at UCL.”

Musemio has received business advice, free office space and mentoring from the Entrepreneurship Team at UCL I&E. Additionally, the advisory support on commercialisation and market access they received from the Global Innovation Team enabled them to secure this international partnership with the Hellenic IT Museum. 

The Global Innovation team at UCL I&E provides specialist advice to innovative businesses and high-growth SMEs, supporting them to manage and commercialise innovation, as well as to grow and scale internationally. These services are fully funded as part of the partnership with Innovate UK and the Executive Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises (EASME).

Links

• Kaitlin Fritz profile
• Martin Davies profile
• Prof Allison Littlejohn profile
• Discover more about Musemio
• News - UCL’s ‘most promising startup’ Musemio are ones to watch in the world of virtual reality
• About Innovation and Enterprise for students

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• Source:  Musemio

Media contact

Kate Clark

Tel: +44 (0)7990 525639

Email: kate.clark [at] ucl.ac.uk