Highschool pupil Selin Alara Ornek is wanting forward — utilizing machine studying and the NVIDIA Jetson platform for edge AI and robotics to create robotic information canine for the visually impaired.
The undertaking, referred to as IC4U, is certainly one of seven robots Ornek has created up to now, together with a faculty assist robotic, named BB4All, that may assist stop bullying with real-time notification and health-monitoring capabilities.
In regards to the Maker
A highschool senior from Istanbul, Turkey, Ornek has at all times had a ardour for the intersection of AI, social good and robotics. She’s a self-taught robotics developer — in constructing IC4U, she used the Jetson Developer Equipment as a sandbox to discover and experiment.
She is a member of AI4ALL, a nonprofit program with the mission to make AI extra numerous and inclusive, and the New York Academy of Science. A worldwide presence within the robotics scene, she’s been acknowledged on the European Youth Awards and Girls in Tech International Awards occasions. She positioned first within the 2021 Istanbul Bosphorus Robotic Cup and third on the 2023 OpenCV AI Competitors.
Her Inspiration
Ornek’s inspiration for creating IC4U got here from a visit to France, the place she noticed a information canine aiding its proprietor. Her late canine, Korsan, was additionally a key supply of inspiration.
“I began to consider if a visually impaired individual misplaced their canine, not solely would they lose their greatest buddy, however their eyes,” Ornek mentioned.
The undertaking was constructed to supply the visually impaired a companion not restricted by ageing and well being.
Her Jetson Mission
Ornek initially used ultrasonic sensors positioned in IC4U’s eyes to detect obstacles. However after attending the 2021 World Summit AI as a panelist, she determined to develop new AI functions for the robotic canine that’d allow it to imitate an actual one.
The ultrasonic sensors solely supplied object detection from straight in entrance of IC4U, and Ornek needed to develop detection to the robotic’s whole environment.
The answer was utilizing sound sensors positioned within the robotic’s ears. IC4U can flip towards a sound and course of visible data gathered by an built-in ZED 2i Huge-Angle 3D AI digicam, which captures a wider vary of visible information and helps detect data resembling the scale and pace of an object.
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“To energy the ZED 2i digicam and for high-quality picture processing, I used an NVIDIA Jetson Nano developer equipment,” Ornek mentioned. “I used to be so impressed with the ZED 2i digicam’s efficiency that I didn’t wish to restrict its use to a easy object-recognition activity.”
She started to think about different ways in which IC4U may help a visually impaired individual. IC4U’s improved information processing from high-resolution sensors, powered by Jetson, allows it to detect metropolis objects resembling cease indicators, site visitors mild colours and the denomination of paper cash.
As well as, Ornek used the Jetson Nano so as to add a purchasing function to IC4U by way of net scraping from publicly out there assets, aiming to sooner or later develop it by partnering with on-line retail shops.
Again to College
In the long term, Ornek hopes to deploy IC4U to be used in sensible cities and areas — persevering with her exploration of AI functions with next-generation platforms like Jetson Orin.
This fall, she’ll start learning laptop science on the College of British Columbia on a full scholarship, as a recipient of the Karen McKellin Worldwide Chief of Tomorrow Award. She strives to encourage different youth, particularly ladies, that know-how is enjoyable.
College students and educators with a legitimate accredited college or education-related electronic mail handle can signal as much as buy the Jetson Orin Nano or Jetson AGX Orin Developer Equipment at a reduced price. U.S.-based college students and educators can go to Sparkfun to enroll in their low cost — residents of different international locations ought to verify their eligibility (login required).
Study extra concerning the NVIDIA Jetson platform and NVIDIA Deep Studying Institute Jetson AI programs and certifications.