BOOM 2017 showcases digital gadgets April 19

The Faculty of Computing and Information Science (CIS) spreads across the Cornell campus because computing has become part of just about every academic discipline. That applies to students as well, and you will see evidence at the annual BOOM (Bits on Our Minds) exhibition from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, in the Duffield Hall Atrium.

Although sponsored by CIS in partnership with Cornell Engineering, the exhibition includes projects from everywhere on campus. The only requirement is that they involve digital technology. More than 140 students will exhibit their work. The event is free and open to the public.

Previous exhibitions have featured autonomous vehicles, robots, multidimensional audio, kitchen gadgets and even a few things that actually run on computers, including, of course, games. A new game promised this year is “Brought to Light,” combining puzzle and thriller genres by dropping the gamer into a ruin with no map and candlelight as a weapon. The Cornell Database Group brings a semiautomatic fact checker to help combat fake news. Other computer specialists will display innovations in data mining and cloud management.

For the kitchen, a microprocessor-driven machine will frost cupcakes in three designs. A “Graffitibot” creates art in public spaces; the creators say it “promotes artistic and technological literacy.”

Local middle schoolers will participate in programming activities with CIS and the Cornell Engineering before viewing the projects at BOOM.

Prizes will be awarded to exhibitors, based on judging by faculty, sponsors and audience votes.

This is the 18th year of BOOM.

Media Contact

Lindsey Knewstub