Abracadabra. Hello World. Come to Life!
by Caleb Teo Yu En
Students participating in the Explore Track were in high spirits as they began their second day at the ‘AI Robotics for a Smart Nation’ Workshop. Teams began their ‘runic magic’ in the automaton tongue of Python, summoning their robots to life. These poodle-like metallic contraptions journeyed around the school hall on their black tape tracks, frolicking with the SIMC2.0 ‘sepak takraw’ balls.
Teams relished the opportunity to discover concepts and pick up skills they had never explored prior to this. Zong Hern from Chung Cheng High School Yishun (CCHY) shared that it was his first time coding in Python, having only dabbled in block-based programming before. Venya from Outram Secondary School (OSS) found text-based coding to be more intuitive than she expected.
The teams utilised AI to resolve teething issues they had, like understanding the syntax of Python and the structure of associated libraries. Cross-checking their work with the help of various AI agents helped them expedite their workflow and refine their final product. However, some students, including CCHY’s Xin Yee, felt that their own technical proficiency was sufficient, and the use of AI was unnecessary. For Xin Yee, as her group was striving for the AI Trailblazers Award, she was concerned that they might have to break their preexisting workflow to be able to provide AI transcripts and commentaries for presentation.
In the leadup to the Robotics Showcase on Friday, participants were invited to develop a proposal utilising robotics as a tool to solve a local societal problem. Trainer Mr. Li Li highlighted the “paradigm shift” agentic AI has caused and emphasised the importance of utilising AI effectively and responsibly for the betterment of society. Global warming, the rising sea levels, an aging population, and the welfare of stray animals were highlighted as possible areas groups could address. In response, the enthusiasm amongst the participants was palpable, as they refined their codes and operated their robots excitedly, eager to apply the skills they gleaned to these practical issues.
Facilitator Enning describes the fulfilment and pride she attained from her group’s self-directedness, reporting, “it wasn’t taught, [but they got the] robot to move manually with user input.” Mr. Li echoes her sentiment. “Seeing students from different backgrounds working as a team, exploring, and growing is very fulfilling.”
Our journalists here at Epigraph wish the participants all the best!