On 9 September 1947, computer scientist Grace Murray Hopper recorded the first computer bug in her log book, as she worked on the Harvard Mark II. The Grace app celebrates the 70th anniversary of this event with a tap game where you can debug an old electromechanical computer by tapping on the four different bugs.
The app was launched at Copenhagen Maker Faire 2017, where participants were able to control the number of bugs which appeared in the game by adding origami bugs to a large image of an electromechanical computer.
The Grace app has been developed as part of the research project FemTeck.dk, which aims to create opportunities for people with different experiences, skills, and perspectives to engage into shaping the future of digital technologies. The project is lead by Pernille Bjørn, professor at the Human-Centred Computing group at the Computer Science department at the University of Copenhagen.
During Copenhagen Maker 2017, FemTech.dk will celebrate the 70th anniversary of this “first actual case of bug being found” through a fun, inclusive, and educational installation.