Thomas Ball
Partner Researcher
About
I work in the area of programming languages and software engineering in MSR’s Redmond Lab, as a member of the RiSE group. Over the past five years, I’ve turned my attention from problems plaguing professional software developers to focus on simplifying the creation of physical computing systems for the rest of society. I led the team from Microsoft that helped to deliver the BBC micro:bit to over 800,000 year-seven students in the UK, and then started Microsoft MakeCode, a web-based platform to support CS education. Working with the Micro:bit Education Foundation, over five million micro:bits have been distributed worldwide. Recent papers on this work:
Microsoft Research Podcast
From player to creator: Designing video games on gaming handhelds with Microsoft TileCode
In this webinar, led by Dr. Thomas Ball, Partner Researcher at Microsoft Research, and Stefania Druga, a PhD student at the University of Washington, learn how children and families are using TileCode to create retro video games on handheld gaming devices. You’ll gain an understanding of programming language design and the connections between video game mechanics and computational concepts. You’ll also learn how jointly designing new experiences benefits children and parents.
Hacking the runway with MakeCode with Dr. Thomas Ball and Dr. Teddy Seyed
Episode 98 | November 13, 2019 - Computer programming has often been perceived as the exclusive domain of computer scientists and software engineers. But that’s changing, thanks to the work of people like Dr. Thomas Ball, a Partner Researcher in the RiSE group at Microsoft Research, and Dr. Teddy Seyed, a post-doctoral researcher in the same group. Their goal is to make programming accessible to non-programmers in places like the classroom, the workshop… and even the runway! On the podcast, Tom and Teddy talk about physical computing through platforms like MakeCode, a simplified programming environment that makes it easier for young people – and other computer science neophytes – to start coding with programmable microcontrollers. They also tell us all about Project Brookdale, where they did a collaborative fashion show that gave emerging designers the tools to embed technology in their garments and produce wearables you’d actually want to be seen in!