Interactive learning blocks

Abstract

Interactive blocks with sensors for collecting information about how tactile objects are interacted with and with one or more communication interface for sending the interaction data to one or more other device or platform for analyzing the interactivity, providing feedback to a user, and assessing manual ability and dexterousness, cognitive ability, memory and retention, providing challenges based on past performance, learning curve, etc.

1 . An interactive block comprising:
 a sensor configured to determine an orientation of the first interactive block;   connectors configured to couple the first interactive block with a neighboring interactive block;   a wireless communications interface;   a neighboring interactive block communications interface; and   a computer-readable medium storing non-transitory computer-readable instructions, that when executed are effective to cause the first interactive block to:
 receive, using the first communications interface, neighbor data from the neighboring interactive block; 
 determine, based at least on the neighbor data and the orientation of the first interactive block, state data for the first interactive block and the neighboring interactive block; 
 send, through the wireless communication interface, the state data to an electronic device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The interactive block of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a light source configured to turn ON responsive to a lighting instruction received via the wireless communications interface.   
     
     
         3 . The interactive block of  claim 2 , wherein the light source is a multi-colored light source and the lighting instruction defines a predefined wavelength for the light source. 
     
     
         4 . The interactive block of  claim 2 , wherein the block has a substantially cube shape with faces, at least some of the faces being translucent through which light from the light source can penetrate. 
     
     
         5 . The interactive block of  claim 2 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further effective to cause the block to:
 send using the neighbor-block communications interface, in response to the received lighting instruction indicating that the neighboring interactive block should illuminate a light source in the neighboring block.   
     
     
         6 . The interactive block of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic contact that can communicate power level information and receive power from the neighboring interactive block. 
     
     
         7 . The interactive block of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a base station for processing relative position data and for charging the interactive block and the neighboring interactive block, and wherein an electronic contact on the interactive block can communicate power level information and receive power from the base station. 
     
     
         8 . The interactive block of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further effective to cause the interactive block to:
 connect with a plurality of interactive blocks to form a network of interactive blocks; and   determine whether any of the other interactive blocks in the network of interactive blocks provides a more efficient connection to the electronic device.   
     
     
         9 . The interactive block of  claim 1 , wherein the connectors comprise a magnet in each corner of the interactive block. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to:
 display a task relating to a group of interactive blocks wirelessly connected to the electronic device;   receive state data for the collection of interactive blocks, wherein the state data describes how a user manipulates the interactive blocks relative to each other while attempting to complete the task;   determine task process for the task based on the state data;   sending the task process to a network-based platform that scores tasks for a distributed user base; and   receive a task score from the network-based platform that describes how well the user performed the task compared to other members of the user base that were presented the same task.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the interactive blocks comprise:
 a sensor configured to determine an orientation of the interactive block;   connectors configured to couple the interactive block with a neighboring interactive block;   a wireless communications interface;   a neighboring interactive block communications interface; and   a memory device storing non-transitory computer-readable instructions, that when executed are effective to cause the interactive block to:
 receive, using the first communications interface, neighbor data from the neighboring interactive block; 
 determine, based at least on the neighbor data and the orientation of the first interactive block, state data for the first interactive block and the neighboring interactive block; 
 send, through the wireless communication interface, the state data to the computing device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the interactive blocks further comprise a light source configured to turn ON responsive to a lighting instruction received via the wireless communications interface. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the light source is a multi-colored light source and the lighting instruction defines a predefined wavelength for the light source. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the interactive blocks have a substantially cube shape with faces, at least some of the faces being translucent through which light from the light source can penetrate. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the lighting instruction is further effective to instruct the interactive block pass the lighting instruction to a neighboring interactive block for illuminating a light source in the neighboring block. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:
 continuously receive state data for the collection of interactive blocks while the user attempts to complete the task; and   display a dynamic virtual representation the collection of interactive blocks on a screen of the computing device.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:
 determine that the task process is below a predetermine progress threshold; and   provide a hint for the task.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to provide the hint for the task through one or more of the computing device and a light source in an interactive block in the collection of interactive blocks. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:
 receive, along with the task score and based on the task score, a recommendation for performing at least one additional task.