Machine Learning for Kids

A Project-Based Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

Author Dale Lane
Look inside
Paperback
$34.95 US
7.05"W x 9.25"H x 0.7"D  
On sale Feb 09, 2021 | 392 Pages | 978-1-71850-056-3
| Grades 7-9
Reading Level: Lexile 1090L
A hands-on, application-based introduction to machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Create compelling AI-powered games and applications using the Scratch programming language.

AI Made Easy with 13 Projects
 
Machine learning (also known as ML) is one of the building blocks of AI, or artificial intelligence. AI is based on the idea that computers can learn on their own, with your help.
 
Machine Learning for Kids will introduce you to machine learning, painlessly. With this book and its free, Scratch-based companion website, you’ll see how easy it is to add machine learning to your own projects. You don’t even need to know how to code!
 
Step by easy step, you’ll discover how machine learning systems can be taught to recognize text, images, numbers, and sounds, and how to train your models to improve them.
 
You’ll turn your models into 13 fun computer games and apps, including:
  • A Rock, Paper, Scissors game that recognizes your hand shapes
  • A computer character that reacts to insults and compliments
  • An interactive virtual assistant (like Siri or Alexa)
  • A movie recommendation app
  • An AI version of Pac-Man
  •  
    There’s no experience required and step-by-step instructions make sure that anyone can follow along!
     
    No Experience Necessary! Ages 12+
    Dale Lane is an award-winning, UK-based software developer for IBM, where he's worked on IBM's (AI) Watson platform since 2011. The father of two children, he's gained distinction working on projects and games that help explain core principles of machine learning to younger students. Lane's free companion website for this book (https://machinelearningforkids.co.uk/) is now used in thousands of schools, and has received worldwide acclaim.
    Introduction

    Chapter 1. What is Artificial Intelligence?
    Chapter 2. Introducing Machine Learning for Kids
    Chapter 3. Sorting Animal Pictures
    Chapter 4. Playing Rock, Paper, Scissors Against Your Computer
    Chapter 5. Recognizing Movie Posters
    Chapter 6. Mail Sorting
    Chapter 7. Insulting a Computer
    Chapter 8. Recognizing Language in Newspapers
    Chapter 9. Finding an Object in a Picture
    Chapter 10. Smart Assistants
    Chapter 11. Chatbots
    Chapter 12. Avoiding the Monster
    Chapter 13. Tic Tac Toe
    Chapter 14. Confusing the Computer
    Chapter 15. Biasing the Computer
    Chapter 16. Afterword

    Appendix: Scratch
    "Machine Learning for Kids is another leading-edge resource for data scientists, this time for very young data scientists."
    —Daniel Gutierrez, insideBIGDATA

    “What delights me about this book is that it’s wonderfully pragmatic, for it guides you in building AI systems that are very much relevant to contemporary computer science.” (from the foreword)
    —Grady Booch, IBM Fellow and Chief Scientist for Software Engineering, IBM Research

    "The book is a guided hands-on and practical introduction to how artificial intelligence impacts our lives. It includes step-by-step instructions for making a variety of machine learning-powered projects in Scratch, and explains how they each relate to real-world AI applications."
    —Alphonse Devasia Blog

    "Machine Learning and children in one sentence is only possible when cool folks like Dale Lane make it their passion to ‘make tech understandable.'"
    —Coding and More, YouTuber

    About

    A hands-on, application-based introduction to machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Create compelling AI-powered games and applications using the Scratch programming language.

    AI Made Easy with 13 Projects
     
    Machine learning (also known as ML) is one of the building blocks of AI, or artificial intelligence. AI is based on the idea that computers can learn on their own, with your help.
     
    Machine Learning for Kids will introduce you to machine learning, painlessly. With this book and its free, Scratch-based companion website, you’ll see how easy it is to add machine learning to your own projects. You don’t even need to know how to code!
     
    Step by easy step, you’ll discover how machine learning systems can be taught to recognize text, images, numbers, and sounds, and how to train your models to improve them.
     
    You’ll turn your models into 13 fun computer games and apps, including:
  • A Rock, Paper, Scissors game that recognizes your hand shapes
  • A computer character that reacts to insults and compliments
  • An interactive virtual assistant (like Siri or Alexa)
  • A movie recommendation app
  • An AI version of Pac-Man
  •  
    There’s no experience required and step-by-step instructions make sure that anyone can follow along!
     
    No Experience Necessary! Ages 12+

    Author

    Dale Lane is an award-winning, UK-based software developer for IBM, where he's worked on IBM's (AI) Watson platform since 2011. The father of two children, he's gained distinction working on projects and games that help explain core principles of machine learning to younger students. Lane's free companion website for this book (https://machinelearningforkids.co.uk/) is now used in thousands of schools, and has received worldwide acclaim.

    Table of Contents

    Introduction

    Chapter 1. What is Artificial Intelligence?
    Chapter 2. Introducing Machine Learning for Kids
    Chapter 3. Sorting Animal Pictures
    Chapter 4. Playing Rock, Paper, Scissors Against Your Computer
    Chapter 5. Recognizing Movie Posters
    Chapter 6. Mail Sorting
    Chapter 7. Insulting a Computer
    Chapter 8. Recognizing Language in Newspapers
    Chapter 9. Finding an Object in a Picture
    Chapter 10. Smart Assistants
    Chapter 11. Chatbots
    Chapter 12. Avoiding the Monster
    Chapter 13. Tic Tac Toe
    Chapter 14. Confusing the Computer
    Chapter 15. Biasing the Computer
    Chapter 16. Afterword

    Appendix: Scratch

    Praise

    "Machine Learning for Kids is another leading-edge resource for data scientists, this time for very young data scientists."
    —Daniel Gutierrez, insideBIGDATA

    “What delights me about this book is that it’s wonderfully pragmatic, for it guides you in building AI systems that are very much relevant to contemporary computer science.” (from the foreword)
    —Grady Booch, IBM Fellow and Chief Scientist for Software Engineering, IBM Research

    "The book is a guided hands-on and practical introduction to how artificial intelligence impacts our lives. It includes step-by-step instructions for making a variety of machine learning-powered projects in Scratch, and explains how they each relate to real-world AI applications."
    —Alphonse Devasia Blog

    "Machine Learning and children in one sentence is only possible when cool folks like Dale Lane make it their passion to ‘make tech understandable.'"
    —Coding and More, YouTuber

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