AI innovation contest reaches final round

A citywide AI innovation competition has entered the final round after having attracted participation of more than 200,000 students from over 1,000 schools in the city since it kicked off in September, according to the Shanghai Education Center for Science and Art, co-organizer of the event.

During the 2020 Shanghai Youth Artificial Intelligence Innovation Season, the center and its partner – Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Education Community – have organized online activities including AI classes, AI labs, algorithm contests, smart rescue games and other challenges and tasks to study how AI technology can empower transportation, medical services, education, community, consumption, living, manufacturing and risk warning.

Among them, the “AI Smart Classroom” provided 10 weeks of classes and knowledge contests to learners who have never studied AI to learn about the basic concepts, development history and application scenarios of the technology. It attracted more than 100,000 students, according to the center.

In a challenge themed on intelligent canteens, Peng Qianqian, a student at Shanghai Lantian Middle School, developed an application to distinguish whether a diner has finished all their food.

In another activity about smart living, two students designed an interactive carpet that broadcasts music and responds to a user's footsteps. The carpet is meant to function as an alarm clock and encourage physical exercise.

Other innovations included caps that can measure body temperature and drones that can perform in the air automatically.

Shanghai Education Center for Science and Art and the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Education Community also launched a new platform to integrate the strength and resources of local universities, research institutes and social organizations to further promote AI education. According to the center, the platform has developed more than 1,000 hours of classes for primary and secondary school students.