Remote Learning, Reimagined: The TutorCam Origin Story

Like most remote learning stories, ours begins during the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2020, when it seemed like the entire world had shut down, Brandon Kennington — dad, mechanical engineer, and founder of BlueKube — volunteered to teach an online math class for his kids’ Los Angeles elementary school.

Soon after the class began, however, Brandon realized something. Although his students could see his face, they couldn’t see how he was solving the math problem because they couldn’t see his pencil and paper. When he wanted to show his work to the class, he had to hold his work up to the webcam. This wasn’t just awkward, it also detracted from the learning experience and made it hard for students to stay engaged.

This singular moment sparked an idea in Brandon. What if there was a device that could capture both his face view and desk view at the same time? He began to design and prototype, and within a few weeks, the TutorCam was born.

The design was simple: an easy-to-use, portable, high-quality document camera stand. But what made the TutorCam different was its special optical prism. By using a phone or tablet, this lens could angle the camera down and perfectly capture the desk view. Now, teachers and students could see not only each other’s faces, but also their math solutions, letter formation, art projects, sheet music, and more! With this invention, Brandon had unlocked a brave new world of remote learning.

In August 2020, the TutorCam hit the market to rave reviews. NBC’s Today Show called it a “must-have.” A Chicago elementary teacher described it as "life changing” and Joel, a 21-year-old with an intellectual disability in Virginia, made incredible strides with his speech pathologist after they introduced TutorCams to online sessions. We’re thrilled to see the positive impact TutorCam is having on students and teachers across the country!