I had an early start with coding and my dad played a big role in that
dad played a big role in that
dad played a big role in that he was electrical engineer at Bell
he was electrical engineer at Bell
he was electrical engineer at Bell Laboratories which was the mecca for
Laboratories which was the mecca for
Laboratories which was the mecca for telecommunications research and
telecommunications research and
telecommunications research and development for many years he taught me
development for many years he taught me
development for many years he taught me about binary numbers when I was a little
about binary numbers when I was a little
about binary numbers when I was a little kid and he gave me a kit that I could
kid and he gave me a kit that I could
kid and he gave me a kit that I could assemble together to add and subtract
assemble together to add and subtract
assemble together to add and subtract binary binary numbers using wires and
binary binary numbers using wires and
binary binary numbers using wires and mechanical switches one day he brought
mechanical switches one day he brought
mechanical switches one day he brought home one of the earliest programmable
home one of the earliest programmable
home one of the earliest programmable calculators from work a Hewlett Packard
calculators from work a Hewlett Packard
calculators from work a Hewlett Packard 97 it was a seven hundred and fifty
97 it was a seven hundred and fifty
97 it was a seven hundred and fifty dollar marvel back in 1975 that’s the
dollar marvel back in 1975 that’s the
dollar marvel back in 1975 that’s the same as three thousand dollars in
same as three thousand dollars in
same as three thousand dollars in today’s dollars
today’s dollars
today’s dollars I remember painstakingly tapping in line
I remember painstakingly tapping in line
I remember painstakingly tapping in line by line the instructions for a lunar
by line the instructions for a lunar
by line the instructions for a lunar lander game like following a recipe and
lander game like following a recipe and
lander game like following a recipe and if I made a mistake I had to start all
if I made a mistake I had to start all
if I made a mistake I had to start all over and then I got to play my first
over and then I got to play my first
over and then I got to play my first computer game I wrote my first computer
computer game I wrote my first computer
computer game I wrote my first computer program using punch cards and then my
program using punch cards and then my
program using punch cards and then my dad took me into work so that I could
dad took me into work so that I could
dad took me into work so that I could run the punch cards through the massive
run the punch cards through the massive
run the punch cards through the massive mainframe computer there and by massive
mainframe computer there and by massive
mainframe computer there and by massive I mean that it took up an entire room
I mean that it took up an entire room
I mean that it took up an entire room and then out spat the drawing that I had
and then out spat the drawing that I had
and then out spat the drawing that I had programmed in eighth grade our math
programmed in eighth grade our math
programmed in eighth grade our math teacher acquired an Apple computer for
teacher acquired an Apple computer for
teacher acquired an Apple computer for the class a very early Apple computer
the class a very early Apple computer
the class a very early Apple computer that was connected to a cassette player
that was connected to a cassette player
that was connected to a cassette player wrote data out to a cassette player for
wrote data out to a cassette player for
wrote data out to a cassette player for those of you in the audience who may be
those of you in the audience who may be
those of you in the audience who may be too young to know what a cassette player
too young to know what a cassette player
too young to know what a cassette player was it’s equivalent to did it to today’s
was it’s equivalent to did it to today’s
was it’s equivalent to did it to today’s thumb drive she taught us how to code
thumb drive she taught us how to code
thumb drive she taught us how to code using the basic programming language and
using the basic programming language and
using the basic programming language and I remember writing these long messes of
I remember writing these long messes of
I remember writing these long messes of code all tangled up with go-to
code all tangled up with go-to
code all tangled up with go-to statements back in those days we would
statements back in those days we would
statements back in those days we would write out our programs longhand on paper
write out our programs longhand on paper
write out our programs longhand on paper and then take our turn at the computer
and then take our turn at the computer
and then take our turn at the computer to type in the program and run it now I
to type in the program and run it now I
to type in the program and run it now I can guess what you’re all thinking
can guess what you’re all thinking
can guess what you’re all thinking your
your
your ah so that’s how she got into
ah so that’s how she got into
ah so that’s how she got into programming it all makes sense but you’d
programming it all makes sense but you’d
programming it all makes sense but you’d actually be wrong I decided in that
actually be wrong I decided in that
actually be wrong I decided in that eighth grade programming class that
eighth grade programming class that
eighth grade programming class that coding was kind of fun it was fun like
coding was kind of fun it was fun like
coding was kind of fun it was fun like solving logic problems is fun but that
solving logic problems is fun but that
solving logic problems is fun but that it wasn’t really intellectually
it wasn’t really intellectually
it wasn’t really intellectually challenging that it wasn’t very creative
challenging that it wasn’t very creative
challenging that it wasn’t very creative and that if I had to do it all day I
and that if I had to do it all day I
and that if I had to do it all day I would get bored also I just didn’t
would get bored also I just didn’t
would get bored also I just didn’t really know what it was good for I
really know what it was good for I
really know what it was good for I didn’t know what it was good for besides
didn’t know what it was good for besides
didn’t know what it was good for besides solving the toy problems they assigned
solving the toy problems they assigned
solving the toy problems they assigned us in class and maybe writing computer
us in class and maybe writing computer
us in class and maybe writing computer games which did not interest me so I
games which did not interest me so I
games which did not interest me so I decided at the age of 13 that coding was
decided at the age of 13 that coding was
decided at the age of 13 that coding was not for me so in some sense this talk is
not for me so in some sense this talk is
not for me so in some sense this talk is for current day reincarnations of my
for current day reincarnations of my
for current day reincarnations of my younger self to help explain a bit what
younger self to help explain a bit what
younger self to help explain a bit what coding is good for and how you can
coding is good for and how you can
coding is good for and how you can change the world if you know how to
change the world if you know how to
change the world if you know how to program
program
program everywhere we turn we hear about the
everywhere we turn we hear about the
everywhere we turn we hear about the importance of stem we hear about how
importance of stem we hear about how
importance of stem we hear about how valuable a skill coding is but we don’t
valuable a skill coding is but we don’t
valuable a skill coding is but we don’t hear so much about what you can actually
hear so much about what you can actually
hear so much about what you can actually do if you know how to code so that’s
do if you know how to code so that’s
do if you know how to code so that’s what I’m going to talk about let’s talk
what I’m going to talk about let’s talk
what I’m going to talk about let’s talk about what coding is good for let’s talk
about what coding is good for let’s talk
about what coding is good for let’s talk about for example what you can do to
about for example what you can do to
about for example what you can do to advance the field of medicine if you
advance the field of medicine if you
advance the field of medicine if you know how to code there’s a company
know how to code there’s a company
know how to code there’s a company called cardiogram it’s one of many
called cardiogram it’s one of many
called cardiogram it’s one of many companies doing truly exciting work that
companies doing truly exciting work that
companies doing truly exciting work that sits at the intersection of wearables
sits at the intersection of wearables
sits at the intersection of wearables medicine and computer science now when
medicine and computer science now when
medicine and computer science now when most of us think about wearables we
most of us think about wearables we
most of us think about wearables we think about devices like the Fitbit or
think about devices like the Fitbit or
think about devices like the Fitbit or the Apple watch we think about tracking
the Apple watch we think about tracking
the Apple watch we think about tracking how many steps we take during the day we
how many steps we take during the day we
how many steps we take during the day we think about tracking our sleep at night
think about tracking our sleep at night
think about tracking our sleep at night we think about tracking our heart rate
we think about tracking our heart rate
we think about tracking our heart rate when we exercise cardiogram has built an
when we exercise cardiogram has built an
when we exercise cardiogram has built an app that also tracks your heart rate and
app that also tracks your heart rate and
app that also tracks your heart rate and people who use cardiogram use it for the
people who use cardiogram use it for the
people who use cardiogram use it for the same reasons that many people use
same reasons that many people use
same reasons that many people use wearables and fitness apps the
wearables and fitness apps the
wearables and fitness apps the cardiogram app on their watch tells them
cardiogram app on their watch tells them
cardiogram app on their watch tells them how their heart rate changes during the
how their heart rate changes during the
how their heart rate changes during the course of the day based on what they’re
course of the day based on what they’re
course of the day based on what they’re doing it turns out
doing it turns out
doing it turns out your heart rate goes up when you eat
your heart rate goes up when you eat
your heart rate goes up when you eat spicy food did you know that it also
spicy food did you know that it also
spicy food did you know that it also turns out that your heart rate goes up
turns out that your heart rate goes up
turns out that your heart rate goes up during stressful situations for example
during stressful situations for example
during stressful situations for example when giving a talk in front of a large
when giving a talk in front of a large
when giving a talk in front of a large audience the cardiogram app on people’s
audience the cardiogram app on people’s
audience the cardiogram app on people’s watch tells them how their heart rate
watch tells them how their heart rate
watch tells them how their heart rate yeah I had seen that already so the
yeah I had seen that already so the
yeah I had seen that already so the cardiogram app will measure your heart
cardiogram app will measure your heart
cardiogram app will measure your heart rate 200 times per day and it has
rate 200 times per day and it has
rate 200 times per day and it has hundreds of thousands of users many of
hundreds of thousands of users many of
hundreds of thousands of users many of those users have agreed to share their
those users have agreed to share their
those users have agreed to share their heart rate data back to cardiogram for
heart rate data back to cardiogram for
heart rate data back to cardiogram for use in medical studies the team at
use in medical studies the team at
use in medical studies the team at cardiogram is using that data to screen
cardiogram is using that data to screen
cardiogram is using that data to screen for issues with the heart they’re trying
for issues with the heart they’re trying
for issues with the heart they’re trying to learn how to tell the difference
to learn how to tell the difference
to learn how to tell the difference between a healthy heart and an unhealthy
between a healthy heart and an unhealthy
between a healthy heart and an unhealthy heart and they’re doing this for a
heart and they’re doing this for a
heart and they’re doing this for a condition called atrial fibrillation in
condition called atrial fibrillation in
condition called atrial fibrillation in collaboration with medical research
collaboration with medical research
collaboration with medical research researchers what is atrial fibrillation
researchers what is atrial fibrillation
researchers what is atrial fibrillation an atrial fibrillation electrical
an atrial fibrillation electrical
an atrial fibrillation electrical conduction in the heart becomes
conduction in the heart becomes
conduction in the heart becomes disorganized the upper chamber may beat
disorganized the upper chamber may beat
disorganized the upper chamber may beat 300 to 500 times per minute compare that
300 to 500 times per minute compare that
300 to 500 times per minute compare that to a regular heart rate of 60 to 100
to a regular heart rate of 60 to 100
to a regular heart rate of 60 to 100 times per minute the lower chamber may
times per minute the lower chamber may
times per minute the lower chamber may be at a normal rate but irregularly
be at a normal rate but irregularly
be at a normal rate but irregularly atrial fibrillation is treatable but it
atrial fibrillation is treatable but it
atrial fibrillation is treatable but it often goes undiagnosed because many
often goes undiagnosed because many
often goes undiagnosed because many people don’t feel any symptoms
the team at cardiogram oh and every each
the team at cardiogram oh and every each year a hundred thousand people a hundred
year a hundred thousand people a hundred
year a hundred thousand people a hundred thousand strokes are caused by atrial
thousand strokes are caused by atrial
thousand strokes are caused by atrial fibrillation and for me it’s personal
fibrillation and for me it’s personal
fibrillation and for me it’s personal because two of my family members have
because two of my family members have
because two of my family members have this condition the team at cardiogram is
this condition the team at cardiogram is
this condition the team at cardiogram is writing software to learn how to tell
writing software to learn how to tell
writing software to learn how to tell the difference between the variations in
the difference between the variations in
the difference between the variations in heart rhythm for a healthy heart versus
heart rhythm for a healthy heart versus
heart rhythm for a healthy heart versus the variations in rhythm for an
the variations in rhythm for an
the variations in rhythm for an unhealthy heart they’re using a
unhealthy heart they’re using a
unhealthy heart they’re using a technique called deep learning to do
technique called deep learning to do
technique called deep learning to do this many of you may have heard of deep
this many of you may have heard of deep
this many of you may have heard of deep learning recently it’s been in the news
learning recently it’s been in the news
learning recently it’s been in the news a lot it’s
a lot it’s
a lot it’s a technique that’s being used to solve
a technique that’s being used to solve
a technique that’s being used to solve many other very hard problems last year
many other very hard problems last year
many other very hard problems last year a team of computer scientists use this
a team of computer scientists use this
a team of computer scientists use this approach to write a program that beat
approach to write a program that beat
approach to write a program that beat the world champion in the game of Go for
the world champion in the game of Go for
the world champion in the game of Go for the first time the team at cardiogram is
the first time the team at cardiogram is
the first time the team at cardiogram is also using a trio is also using deep
also using a trio is also using deep
also using a trio is also using deep learning but to screen for atrial
learning but to screen for atrial
learning but to screen for atrial fibrillation
fibrillation
fibrillation they’re already able to correctly detect
they’re already able to correctly detect
they’re already able to correctly detect atrial fibrillation nine out of ten
atrial fibrillation nine out of ten
atrial fibrillation nine out of ten times so that’s medicine how about
times so that’s medicine how about
times so that’s medicine how about another field like education
another field like education
another field like education how can software engineers transform
how can software engineers transform
how can software engineers transform education did you know that there are
education did you know that there are
education did you know that there are over 1.2 billion people learning another
over 1.2 billion people learning another
over 1.2 billion people learning another language and at the majority are doing
language and at the majority are doing
language and at the majority are doing so in order to decane access to better
so in order to decane access to better
so in order to decane access to better opportunities unfortunately a language
opportunities unfortunately a language
opportunities unfortunately a language education is expensive and inaccessible
education is expensive and inaccessible
education is expensive and inaccessible to most I duolingo we wanted to change
to most I duolingo we wanted to change
to most I duolingo we wanted to change that so we built an app targeted
that so we built an app targeted
that so we built an app targeted language education we created duolingo
language education we created duolingo
language education we created duolingo so that everybody could have an
so that everybody could have an
so that everybody could have an opportunity to learn another language
opportunity to learn another language
opportunity to learn another language it’s completely free and it’s accessible
it’s completely free and it’s accessible
it’s completely free and it’s accessible to anyone anywhere in the world there
to anyone anywhere in the world there
to anyone anywhere in the world there are more people actively learning a
are more people actively learning a
are more people actively learning a language on duolingo than there are
language on duolingo than there are
language on duolingo than there are students in the United States public
students in the United States public
students in the United States public school system it’s being used by some of
school system it’s being used by some of
school system it’s being used by some of the wealthiest people in the world like
the wealthiest people in the world like
the wealthiest people in the world like Bill Gates and Hollywood stars and at
Bill Gates and Hollywood stars and at
Bill Gates and Hollywood stars and at the same time by public school students
the same time by public school students
the same time by public school students in developing countries and by the way
in developing countries and by the way
in developing countries and by the way duolingo is located right here in
duolingo is located right here in
duolingo is located right here in Pittsburgh it was created down the
Pittsburgh it was created down the
Pittsburgh it was created down the street by Luis von Ahn who’s right there
street by Luis von Ahn who’s right there
street by Luis von Ahn who’s right there a professor in computer science and by
a professor in computer science and by
a professor in computer science and by his by Severin hacker who was then his
his by Severin hacker who was then his
his by Severin hacker who was then his PhD student that’s right duolingo
PhD student that’s right duolingo
PhD student that’s right duolingo started out as a student project here
started out as a student project here
started out as a student project here are some statistics there are a hundred
are some statistics there are a hundred
are some statistics there are a hundred and seventy million people using
and seventy million people using
and seventy million people using duolingo to learn another language about
duolingo to learn another language about
duolingo to learn another language about half of our users are using duolingo to
half of our users are using duolingo to
half of our users are using duolingo to learn English because for many people
learn English because for many people
learn English because for many people English opens the door to new
English opens the door to new
English opens the door to new opportunities and maybe the pathway out
opportunities and maybe the pathway out
opportunities and maybe the pathway out of poverty to a better life
the top five languages that people are
the top five languages that people are learning on duolingo are English Spanish
learning on duolingo are English Spanish
learning on duolingo are English Spanish French German and Italian duolingo has
French German and Italian duolingo has
French German and Italian duolingo has 69 language courses in all and we’re
69 language courses in all and we’re
69 language courses in all and we’re working on 18 more we recently launched
working on 18 more we recently launched
working on 18 more we recently launched our first African language Swahili in
our first African language Swahili in
our first African language Swahili in collaboration with the Peace Corps and
collaboration with the Peace Corps and
collaboration with the Peace Corps and now we’re working on Japanese people
now we’re working on Japanese people
now we’re working on Japanese people have been asking us for Japanese for
have been asking us for Japanese for
have been asking us for Japanese for years it will be available on duolingo
years it will be available on duolingo
years it will be available on duolingo in May now the common request that we
in May now the common request that we
in May now the common request that we get is that people want to practice
get is that people want to practice
get is that people want to practice conversation the idea is if you’re an
conversation the idea is if you’re an
conversation the idea is if you’re an English speaker learning French
English speaker learning French
English speaker learning French we should pair you up with a French
we should pair you up with a French
we should pair you up with a French speaker learning English and maybe the
speaker learning English and maybe the
speaker learning English and maybe the two of you can kind of teach each other
two of you can kind of teach each other
two of you can kind of teach each other it sounds like a really elegant idea and
it sounds like a really elegant idea and
it sounds like a really elegant idea and we’ve tried it and every time we’ve
we’ve tried it and every time we’ve
we’ve tried it and every time we’ve tried it we find that most people don’t
tried it we find that most people don’t
tried it we find that most people don’t like it because they’re embarrassed to
like it because they’re embarrassed to
like it because they’re embarrassed to speak in a foreign language with another
speak in a foreign language with another
speak in a foreign language with another person so instead we decided to work on
person so instead we decided to work on
person so instead we decided to work on something called conversational BOTS the
something called conversational BOTS the
something called conversational BOTS the idea is that you can learn to speak
idea is that you can learn to speak
idea is that you can learn to speak another language just by talking with a
another language just by talking with a
another language just by talking with a bot that is smart enough we think this
bot that is smart enough we think this
bot that is smart enough we think this can be the future of language education
can be the future of language education
can be the future of language education learning a language by talking with a
learning a language by talking with a
learning a language by talking with a bot that is smart enough smart enough to
bot that is smart enough smart enough to
bot that is smart enough smart enough to adjust its love of conversation to the
adjust its love of conversation to the
adjust its love of conversation to the user smart enough to gently correct when
user smart enough to gently correct when
user smart enough to gently correct when appropriate smart enough to understand
appropriate smart enough to understand
appropriate smart enough to understand broken English broken French or broken
broken English broken French or broken
broken English broken French or broken Spanish and smart enough to remember and
Spanish and smart enough to remember and
Spanish and smart enough to remember and build upon previous conversations we’ve
build upon previous conversations we’ve
build upon previous conversations we’ve built the first version of this a basic
built the first version of this a basic
built the first version of this a basic chat bot that can talk with you in
chat bot that can talk with you in
chat bot that can talk with you in French Spanish German or Portuguese you
French Spanish German or Portuguese you
French Spanish German or Portuguese you can have simple conversations on
can have simple conversations on
can have simple conversations on ordinary topics like going shopping
ordinary topics like going shopping
ordinary topics like going shopping finding a roommate ordering coffee or
finding a roommate ordering coffee or
finding a roommate ordering coffee or going to a basketball game now here’s a
going to a basketball game now here’s a
going to a basketball game now here’s a short video to show how it works
kayvyun Konoe say a mis amigos primero
kayvyun Konoe say a mis amigos primero de la Ola al Roberto
Berto esta ocupado el esta comiendo que
Berto esta ocupado el esta comiendo que esta comiendo Roberto
as you can see we designed we designed
as you can see we designed we designed this to look like a familiar messaging
this to look like a familiar messaging
this to look like a familiar messaging app so that it looks like so that it
app so that it looks like so that it
app so that it looks like so that it feels like you’re chatting with a friend
feels like you’re chatting with a friend
feels like you’re chatting with a friend while learning a foreign language
while learning a foreign language
while learning a foreign language without the anxiety of making mistakes
without the anxiety of making mistakes
without the anxiety of making mistakes the BA corrects you gently corrects you
the BA corrects you gently corrects you
the BA corrects you gently corrects you when you make a mistake by showing you a
when you make a mistake by showing you a
when you make a mistake by showing you a better answer and it gives you hints if
better answer and it gives you hints if
better answer and it gives you hints if you get stuck those are just two
you get stuck those are just two
you get stuck those are just two examples of what coding is good for
examples of what coding is good for
examples of what coding is good for there are so many others that I could
there are so many others that I could
there are so many others that I could have talked about I could have talked
have talked about I could have talked
have talked about I could have talked about how it’s being used in the art for
about how it’s being used in the art for
about how it’s being used in the art for computer animations and special effects
computer animations and special effects
computer animations and special effects how it’s being used in the humanities to
how it’s being used in the humanities to
how it’s being used in the humanities to reconstruct the social relationship
reconstruct the social relationship
reconstruct the social relationship networks of historical figures about how
networks of historical figures about how
networks of historical figures about how it’s used to build apps for local
it’s used to build apps for local
it’s used to build apps for local communities in government and
communities in government and
communities in government and Pittsburgh’s own steel city code fest a
Pittsburgh’s own steel city code fest a
Pittsburgh’s own steel city code fest a week-long hackathon that happens every
week-long hackathon that happens every
week-long hackathon that happens every year in fact it’s starting this year on
year in fact it’s starting this year on
year in fact it’s starting this year on Friday I chose to talk about just two
Friday I chose to talk about just two
Friday I chose to talk about just two areas medicine and education to show how
areas medicine and education to show how
areas medicine and education to show how coding is being used for social good I
coding is being used for social good I
coding is being used for social good I hope this helps open people’s mind to
hope this helps open people’s mind to
hope this helps open people’s mind to the power of coding and I hope that
the power of coding and I hope that
the power of coding and I hope that everyone here will help spread the word
everyone here will help spread the word
everyone here will help spread the word learning to code is more than just
learning to code is more than just
learning to code is more than just solving problems it’s more than
solving problems it’s more than
solving problems it’s more than stretching your mind it’s more than
stretching your mind it’s more than
stretching your mind it’s more than opening the door to new job
opening the door to new job
opening the door to new job opportunities it’s a chance to change
opportunities it’s a chance to change
opportunities it’s a chance to change the world and to make the world a better
the world and to make the world a better
the world and to make the world a better place
”
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