Build a Teachable Machine Image Classifier With Your Kid

Issue 51 • December 4, 2024

Children today are surrounded by artificial intelligence, but their relationship with it is almost entirely passive. They watch algorithms recommend videos, interact with voice assistants, and use generative tools to write stories. To truly understand the technology that will shape their careers, they need to move from consumers to builders. They need to see behind the curtain and understand how computers learn to see, hear, and make decisions.

You do not need a background in software engineering, a paid subscription, or expensive hardware to teach these concepts. Using a free tool developed by Google, you and your child (ideally between the ages of 8 and 16) can build, train, and test a fully functional computer vision model in less than twenty minutes. This hands-on project demystifies machine learning by turning it into a tangible, interactive game.

The Project: Choosing Your Classes

Before opening the software, sit down with your child and decide what you want your computer to recognize. In machine learning, the categories we want a model to identify are called "classes."

For your first project, choose two or three distinct physical objects that are easily accessible around your home. Excellent beginner ideas include:

• Lego vs. Action Figure: Teach the computer to distinguish between different types of toys.
• Apple vs. Banana: Build a healthy snack detector.
• Thumbs Up vs. Thumbs Down: Create a gesture recognition system that reads hand signals.

Once you have selected your objects, sit together at a computer or laptop equipped with a standard webcam.

Step-by-Step Build Guide

Follow these precise steps to build your image classifier:

• Access the Platform: Open your web browser and navigate directly to Google Teachable Machine . Click on the "Get Started" button, then select "Image Project" followed by "Standard Image Model."
• Define Your Classes: On the screen, you will see two default boxes labeled "Class 1" and "Class 2." Click the pencil icon next to "Class 1" and rename it to match your first object (for example, "Apple"). Rename "Class 2" to match your second object (for example, "Banana").