San Diego-based telecommunications company Qualcomm has joined forces with Sesame Workshop to engage in research and development initiatives around mobile educational content for preschoolers.

The companies have unveiled the first apps under the new partnership at this week’s 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (see CES video here). Big Bird’s Words features the first-ever use of Qualcomm’s Vuforia augmented reality platform’s text recognition capability. In the app, kids are guided with the help of a virtual “wordoscope” to search for new words in their environment.

A second new music-themed app and TV experience, Abby’s Fairy Rock (working title), lets children turn a tablet into a guitar to learn about musical concepts such as tempo while interacting with Sesame Street’s Abby Cadabby on a smart TV/STB Qualcomm development platform. 

In addition, Sesame Workshop and Qualcomm have extended their collaboration in China and India through Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach initiative that brings educational information to children in need.

Sesame Workshop’s Galli Galli Sim Sim, the Indian version of Sesame Street, is using 3G mobile technology to distribute radio content, videos and lessons about healthy living, literacy and math to migrant children ages five to eight and their families. In addition, a new project in China is set to launch later this year that will provide tips, activities and tools to help families with young children prepare for emergencies.