Kevin Shao
A Computer Vision-Controlled Smart Robotic Arm
London Central Secondary School
Ping pong, galloping, and solving Rubik’s Cubes; these are all activities that have been mastered by the sophisticated smart robotic systems of Cognitive Systems, Boston Dynamics, and OpenAI. To complete these tasks, the robots had to incorporate elements of artificial intelligence. The purpose of this project was to create a low-cost smart robot, combining a commercially available robot kit with open-source computer vision, for individual, household, or small business use. The end result is a decently reliable system capable of identifying lego bricks, picking them up, and sorting them. This project demonstrates that combining AI with robotics is a viable undertaking even at small scales. Future work will add and stereo vision, improve on the current computer vision capabilities, as well as train it in further tasks common in the average household or small business.
Excellence Award – Senior Silver Medal
Sponsor: Youth Science Canada
Western University Entrance Scholarship $2000
Dalhousie University Entrance Scholarship $2500
University of British Columbia Entrance Scholarship $2500
University of New Brunswick Entrance Scholarship $2500
University of Ottawa Entrance Scholarship $2000