Microsoft is announcing the winners of the 2022 Imagine Cup Junior artificial intelligence (AI) for Good Challenge. The competition is an extension of the Microsoft Imagine Cup world championship. Targeting junior and secondary school students aged 13 to 18. It encourages educators to embrace new technologies like AI and machine learning and then provide these experiences to their students. It also seeks to help students develop skills like communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.
Students learn the fundamentals of AI and Machine Learning as well as the application of AI in real life. They also learn Deep Learning, Neural networks and AI for Good.
Out of thousands of participants from across the globe, ten teams are global winners. Submitting creative ideas that look to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges using the power of AI. Out of thousands of participants from across the globe, ten teams are global winners. Submitting creative ideas that look to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges using the power of artificial intelligence (AI).
“At Microsoft, we’re always impressed by the creativity in the solutions submitted by the future generation of students. Every student who took part brought their heart to their projects, which really came through to all of the judges.”
Rick Herrmann, Vice President Worldwide Public Sector Education
Here are the top 10 global winners and their creative concepts.
2022 Microsoft Imagine Cup Junior AI for Good Challenge winners
ARISE, Nepal. ARISE is an AI-driven interactive application promoting accessibility for chemistry laboratory equipment using motion and augmented reality.
AutoCrab, Hong Kong. AutoCrab is an AI sensor to monitor and regulate water quality in hairy crab aquafarms.
Clean Up Crew, Australia. Clean Up Crew is an all-in-one AI device that collects and sorts waste materials into appropriate categories for proper recycling.
Earthatarian, United Kingdom. Earthatarian is an AI-powered application to reduce food waste by predicting the ‘actual expiry’ of stocked food items and monitoring food consumption.
HACKRR, Philippines. WTFact is a fact-checking browser extension that utilizes AI to detect fake news and make internet users aware of online mis- and dis-information.
NeuSparks, China. NeuSparks uses Azure AI and Machine Learning to transcribe folk music recordings into digital format (MIDI) that can be easily transmitted and assist in sheet music creation and re-composition.
Sea Waste Scavengers, Indonesia. This AI concept is a ship fully powered by electricity from hydro and solar energy that tracks, locates, and captures plastic garbage and delivers it to a recycling plant.
SkyLine Humanitarian, Vietnam. This AI-integrated mobile application connects hospitals and blood donors by blood type while encouraging potential new blood donors by spreading awareness.
Team Sensory Metaverse, India. Sensory Metaverse is a VR concept with a headset and a body suit that helps users not only see but feel virtual reality.
VORA, United States. VORA is a visual object recognition aid for the visually impaired.
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Ten teams from across the globe are winners of the first Imagine Cup Junior AI for Good Challenge. The competition is an extension of the Microsoft Imagine Cup and targets secondary school students. Thousands of students, aged 13 through 18, participated in this year’s competition to come up with ideas to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges using the power of artificial intelligence (AI).
What I love most about Imagine Cup Junior is seeing educators embrace new technologies like AI and machine learning and then provide these experiences to their students, says Anthony Salcito, VP, of Education. Not only do students get the opportunity to learn about Microsoft’s AI for Good initiatives. But they also further develop and practise 21st-century skills like communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, he adds.
Despite the uncertainty during a global pandemic and adjusting to remote and hybrid learning, students found creative ways to bring their teams together, innovate, and learn about AI along the way. From hardships experienced by friends or family to issues, they have read about in the news, or their determination to preserve the earth and create a better world for future generations. The standard of the student submissions was truly awe-inspiring. Every student who took part brought their heart to their projects, which really came through to all the judges.
Imagine Cup Junior AI for Good Challenge winners
The top 10 global winners recognized this year and their concepts are:
“Here to Hear” from Western Canada High School in Canada: A language-learning tool that supports children with hearing impairments, helping to support inclusiveness in education for the DHH community.
“Sense and Save” from Daffodils Foundation for Learning in India: An AI-powered, bio-resistive graphene sensor for real-time amniotic fluid monitoring in pregnant women, supporting those who do not have regular or easy access to healthcare.
“Gaia Eye 80 degrees” from Beijing No. 80 High School in China: A global environmental diversity and anomaly discovery sharing platform, empowering people to report environmental concerns and observations and get feedback powered by AI.
“CORRA” from St Aloysius College in Australia: The “Companion Obedient Response Robot,” designed to interact with and support children with autism in the form of a robot doll that can be with them at all times.
“Titans” from Maharaja Agrasen Model School in India: A scan and check app for consumers to detect counterfeit medicine packaging, to help reduce the growing issues with counterfeit medicines being sold in India.
“HygieneNET” from Jesuit High School in Oregon, US: A deep learning and sensor-based system for enforcing hand hygiene compliance in healthcare facilities.
“Imagineering” from Hwa Chong Institution in Singapore: An AI-powered app that identifies any anomalies in a baby’s faecal matter to support and guide new parents and provide early diagnoses of any diseases.
“Ying Wa Crazy” from Ying Wa College in Hong Kong: Designed to bring Chinese medicine to a digital platform, embracing the major principles of Chinese medicine and building those into an app to increase the speed of diagnosis.
“G Force” from On My Own Technology in India: A non-invasive pressure mapping method to screen skin cancer and enable earlier detection.
“SMSR” from Hurlstone Agriculture High School in Australia: The “Smart Mobile Sanitizing Robot” to supply and clean feminine products to support period poverty and efficient waste management.
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Microsoft is extending its global student competition program Imagine Cup to younger students with new Imagine Cup Junior competition. The new competition will target secondary school students between the ages of thirteen to eighteen globally.
Microsoft says Imagine Cup Junior competition will help students learn about technology and build 21st century skills like communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. While coming up with ideas for improving the world around them. The first edition will focus on Artificial Intelligence and introducing the students to Microsoft’s AI for Good initiatives.
Microsoft VP Education, Anthony Salcito says “we believe the future is in the hands of students around the world. Who are increasingly driven by a sense of purpose and want to have a positive impact on the world and their communities“.
The goal of the competition is to create excitement and energy among students and educators Microsoft says. By giving them the opportunity to use Artificial Intelligence to solve real-world problems. Unlike the other, the Junior competition is only opened to schools and instructor led clubs. To participate in the competition an educator or instructor will need to register the institution for the Contest.
Students and educators do not need to have prior knowledge of AI. Microsoft has created a host of materials, including templates and AI resource guides to help learn from scratch. The lesson guides include modules on Fundamentals of AI, machine learning and AI applications in real life.
Submissions for team projects will be open from February 3, 2020 and close April 17, 2020.
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