HUBweek 'Playground' Showcases Drones, Laser Graffiti

BOSTON (CBS) - It's a playground like you've never seen before because this one is all about innovation. As part of HUBweek, MIT created the space to showcase the technology, art and science happening in Kendall Square but for visitors it was just plain fun.

It's definitely not your father's playground, especially when you can race drones through an obstacle course.  "It was definitely fun.  I've never flown a drone before so it took a while to get used to it.  So something I'd want to do again," says Damual Greaves just after he gave the race a try.

The playground also has laser graffiti that looks like a spray paint can but is really a kind of magic wand. "This was really cool. It's neat to be able to do graffiti without the mess of the paint and the permanence of graffiti," says Julia Caine.

MIT's Innovation Playground is part of HUBweek, which brings together the most inventive minds to focus on science, art and tech, and what better place to do that than Kendall Sq.

"So much innovation is happening in this area and it can be a secret to so many people in the neighborhood. It's wonderful when these kinds of things bubble up," says Peter Crawley who was checking out the activities.

Innovation yes, but also big fun, like creating your own GIF, the 21st century version of the photo booth.

"It's interactive, animated, all digital.  It gets texted straight to their phone and they can post straight to social media," explains Lindsay Hite of BostonGIF.

"We want people to go away and say, yup, that's what's going on in Kendall Square," says MIT's Sarah Gallop.

They're also installing a series of murals created by Cambridge teens in the same area, and MIT is building a new student dorm there.