BizzNEST Brings Children’s Drawings to Life with AI & Machine Learning
Written by Monica Villanueva
What if a child’s drawing could spring to life? Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery (SCCMOD) engaged bizzNEST, Digital NEST’s youth-powered creative agency, to make this idea a reality.
Last week, SCCMOD celebrated the grand opening of the Enchanted Forest Animation Station, an exhibit that transforms hand-drawn art into animated characters on a digital display. It’s a one-of-a-kind, interactive experience that sparks creativity while introducing children to the possibilities of technology.
Built by bizzNEST: How It Works
The exhibit is a sophisticated workflow that integrates hardware and software powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. The bilingual interface is intuitive and designed for independent use by children as young as six, ensuring that the technology is both accessible and engaging. Here’s how it works:
Digital Capture – Children scan their paper drawings into the system.
AI Analysis – The system recognizes the unique features of the animal.
Machine Learning – Using adapted open-source models and OpenAI’s API, the system maps joints and references real-world anatomy.
Animation – Algorithms bring the creation to life with natural movements, such as walking or waving.
“This isn’t just cool tech,” said Rhiannon Crain, Executive Director at SCCMOD. “This exhibit will inspire thousands of children and families each year, introducing children to technology and digital literacy in an engaging way, fostering creativity and imaginative thinking through hands-on interaction.”
Innovation Through Internships
What makes this project especially meaningful is who built it: a powerful team of 8 bizzNEST interns. Building this one-of-a-kind exhibit was a challenge that pushed them to grow and innovate from the ground up:
Sergio engineered the scanner workflow: “I had to figure out how to make a physical scanner trigger the image processing sequence automatically. It was a fun mix of hardware interaction, file system logic, and workflow design.”
Ali reworked animation code for animal movement: “We had to rewrite logic using Meta’s open source AI project built for humanoids.”
Yuliana discovered new career paths: “At first, I wasn’t sure about full-stack development, but now I’m leaning more towards it because of what you can implement.”
Joel sharpened his problem-solving skills: “When researching AI language learning and image recognition models, I had no idea where to begin. But I knew that I had a question and I could find the answer.”
These young innovators were joined by bizzNEST team members Ben, Bledine, Tyler, and Cristian on this project. Projects like these are precisely what bizzNEST was designed for, giving youth hands-on experience that turns innovation into lasting career opportunities.
The Future is Bright
Every year, bizzNEST welcomes new interns and equips them with tools, mentorship, and real client projects. By supporting this work, you’re helping create pathways for young innovators to thrive in the tech industry.
Want to be part of the magic? Become a GEM (Give Every Month) supporter. Your contribution empowers the next generation of innovators across underserved California communities.
Donate today at www.digitalNEST.org/donations
