The Royal Institution: Christmas Lectures 2008 – Hi-tech Trek

We’ve worked with The Royal Institution of Great Britain since 2004 to create interactive games and materials that support its televised Christmas Lectures.

Take me down to paradise island

In 2008, we worked closely with that year’s lecturer, Microsoft Research’s Chris Bishop. The Hi-tech Trek website was designed to immerse users in the fascinating world of computer science. Aimed at a diverse audience, from children and parents to teachers and the scientific community, it allowed users to explore a paradise island packed with games and puzzles.

Sum of all parts

The website provides a series of interactions underpinned by key technological concepts. With Chris as their guide, users have to complete a range of challenges, from programming their way out of a maze to mixing up sparkling rocket fuel using logic gates. The aim is to solve all the challenges and unlock computer parts – only then will they be able to build the ultimate computer!

Building an archive

The Hi-tech Trek site also features downloadable activities that include links to video snippets and transcripts from the TV lectures. We combined web and DVD technology to leave a valuable legacy for the project, but also to create an archive of learning and reference materials that young people and teachers can return to again and again.