Auroville IT department partners with start-up for an AI expo for school students
Talam, an IT-focused service and product development unit in Auroville, and Curious Hub, a tech startup based in Puducherry, jointly organized a one-day expo for school students, focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge technologies. The event, conducted in collaboration with the Puducherry Education Department, emphasized the latest advancements in Robotics, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Approximately 800 students from classes 8 to 12 participated in the expo held at Jeevanandam Boys Government Higher Secondary School. Talam and Curious Hub, both with a youth-centric operational mission, stated that the workshop served as a pilot for future initiatives, aiming to reach around one lakh students in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
Rahul Sharma, a senior developer at Talam, mentioned that this workshop, potentially the first of its kind for school students, aimed to spark curiosity and passion for cutting-edge technologies among young minds. The organizations plan to launch a more extensive campaign introducing Robotics, AI, and IoT to over 100,000 students in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. Sharma explained, "Out of those students, we will choose 100 students who will be trained to solve problems in their local communities using the technologies exposed to them during the expo".
A notable aspect of the workshop was the demonstration of Farmbot, an innovative open-source farming robot. Developed by an international community of developers, Farmbot showcases the practical applications of new technologies. NASA has even utilized Farmbot at its Kennedy Space Research Center to explore the potential for cultivating food in space missions. This event marks the first time that such advanced open-source robotics are being presented to school students in India.
Talam emphasized that this initiative, in partnership with Curious Hub, signifies a significant stride in integrating modern technology into educational curricula. It highlights the importance of providing the younger generation with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
