Tech for Good: Physical Computing, AI & Career Exploration
Tech for Good: Physical Computing, AI & Career Exploration
Build technology with purpose.
Virginia Tech’s Tech for Good experiences challenge learners to use physical computing, artificial intelligence, sensors, and the Internet of Things to solve meaningful problems.
Depending on the program, students may explore agriculture and sustainability, autonomous urban technology, wearable technology, robotics, or customized career-exploration challenges. Participants work with microcontrollers, sensors, actuators, coding, design thinking, and invention as they move from an idea to a working solution.
Programs can be customized with school, community, industry, or sponsoring partners and can incorporate entrepreneurship, intellectual property, project-based learning, and career exploration to help learners understand how emerging technologies connect to real-world needs and future STEM careers.
Grade Range: Grades 4–12, depending on the experience
Availability: Available by partner arrangement; dates are coordinated directly with participating organizations.
Program fee: No cost to participating students, educators, or schools. Programs are arranged through school, community, or sponsoring partners.
Location: Location: Varies by program; arranged with school, community, industry, or sponsoring partners.
Program format: Half-day workshops, multi-day experiences, or customized programs
Plan an experience with Virginia Tech:
Explore Tech for Good experiences:
Ag Tech for Good Camp (Qualcomm)
What happens when artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things meet agriculture?
Ag Tech for Good introduces students to physical computing, artificial intelligence, and Internet of Things technologies through agriculture and natural-resources challenges. Participants use sensors, microcontrollers, and design thinking to create an invention or innovation while exploring entrepreneurship and intellectual property. The experience can be customized with school, community, or sponsoring partners.
Like other Tech for Good camps, participants explore the path to invention and entrepreneurship with common microcontroller sensor and actuator technologies through individual and group exercises, leading to their own invention or innovation, including discussions of how to protect intellectual property. This camp is for those interested in how physical IoT and AI technology can be applied to living systems to improve agricultural production, safety, and other aspects of ag and natural resources sustainability.
Grade Range: Grades 8-12; participation is arranged through schools, community organizations, employers, or sponsoring partners.
Duration: 4 half-days, Monday through Thursday
Plan an experience with Virginia Tech:
Autonomous Vehicles & Urban Technology
Explore how autonomous systems can make cities safer, smarter, and more efficient. This adaptable experience combines autonomous vehicle design, Arduino C++ programming, physical computing, and career exploration for middle and high school learners. Programs can be delivered at Virginia Tech facilities or in school-based settings through partner arrangements. Students strengthen artificial intelligence, robotics and drones while connecting what they learn to real-world problems and future opportunities.
Grade Range: 6-12; participation is arranged through schools, community organizations, employers, or sponsoring partners.
Duration: Half-day
Location: Virginia Tech or school-based settings through partner arrangements
Plan an experience with Virginia Tech:
Career Exploration & Physical Computing
Virginia Tech works with schools and partner organizations to create customized career exploration experiences using physical computing, artificial intelligence, robotics, data, and other emerging technologies. Activities can be shaped around a specific industry, learner group, or program goal and may include hands-on workshops, invention challenges, or project-based learning. We are skilled at developing integrative learning experiences that complement programs of our collaborators, and these can include a wide variety of activities ranging from cluster-focused or industry-focused career exploration, ROV design and automation, a wide variety of ML and AI initiatives, patent and research-journal support, and support for older students on campus or in sponsors’ facilities.
Grade Range: 4-12; participation is arranged through schools, community organizations, employers, or sponsoring partners.
Duration: Customized workshops or consulting experiences
Delivery: Designed collaboratively with participating partners
Discuss a partnership or sponsorship:
City Tech for Good Camp
City Tech for Good challenges students to use physical computing and artificial intelligence to solve everyday urban problems. Participants work with sensors, microcontrollers, invention, and entrepreneurship concepts to design practical technology solutions while building hands-on STEM and career-readiness skills. The experience is customized with school, community, industry, or sponsoring partners. Like other Tech for Good camps, participants explore the path to invention and entrepreneurship with common microcontroller sensor and actuator technologies through individual and group exercises, leading to their own invention or innovation, including discussions of how to protect intellectual property. This camp is for those who are curious about the possibilities for physical IoT and AI technology efficiency in everyday life, particularly in urban areas where efficiency and safety are always a priority.
Grade Range: 9-12; participation is arranged through schools, community organizations, employers, or sponsoring partners.
Duration: 4 half-days, Monday through Thursday
Plan an experience with Virginia Tech:
Tech for Good Camp
Tech for Good combines career exploration, physical computing, invention, and entrepreneurship in a hands-on camp experience. Students use microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators to design technology with a purpose while learning how ideas move from problem identification to prototype and innovation. The experience is customized with school, community, industry, or sponsoring partners. Exploring the path to invention and entrepreneurship with common microcontroller sensor and actuator technologies through individual and group exercises, leading to your own invention or innovation, including discussions of how to protect intellectual property. These Physical IoT camps are supported by Qualcomm, a company that is regularly among the top three in patent awards annually.
Grade Range: 6-12; participation is arranged through schools, community organizations, employers, or sponsoring partners.
Duration: 4 half-days, Monday through Thursday
Location: Virginia Tech’s Academic Building One in Alexandria
Plan an experience with us:
Wearable Tech for Good Camp (Qualcomm)
Wearable Tech for Good challenges students to design technology that can be worn, carried, or integrated into everyday life. Participants use physical computing, sensors, and design thinking to create purposeful solutions while exploring invention, entrepreneurship, and emerging technology careers. The experience is customized with school, community, industry, or sponsoring partners. Like other Tech for Good camps, participants explore the path to invention and entrepreneurship with common microcontroller sensor and actuator technologies through individual and group exercises, leading to their own invention or innovation, including discussions of how to protect intellectual property. This camp is for those who enjoy creative approaches to personal or professional identity and how physical IoT and AI technology can enhance the things they wear or things they could design for others.
Grade Range: 6-12; participation is arranged through schools, community organizations, employers, or sponsoring partners.
Duration: 4 half-days, Monday through Thursday (three times in the Summer)
Location: Virginia Tech’s Academic Building One in Alexandria
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