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Presented by:

Gordon Stein

from Vanderbilt University
No materials for the event yet, sorry!

We demonstrate an early version of BloxBuddy, an AI assistant designed for NetsBlox, a variant of Snap!. Most language models have difficulty working with Snap!’s block-based code, but by building off of Snap!’s new ‘Lisp code’ feature, we’ve been able to make block-based code easier for them to understand. Combined with access to the NetsBlox documentation, BloxBuddy is able to answer many questions about a user’s code. This can make block-based programming even more accessible!

At the same time, we want to avoid making a tool students rely on to do their work for them and also avoid exposing students to potentially harmful unrestricted AI outputs. BloxBuddy suggests ideas and advice, rather than moving blocks itself, so users can get assistance but still learn Snap!. It provides the available questions rather than using a free-form text input, steering the conversation toward productive topics.

If you are interested in helping test out BloxBuddy, please contact gordon.stein@vanderbilt.edu

Duration:
5 min
Room:
SAP Immersive Experience Studio
Conference:
Snap!Con 2025
Type:
Lightning Talk
Presented via:
Online
Difficulty:
Easy