Education
GISU Wiz kids dazzle at robotics competition
A young boy Assembling a robot
Parents of Galaxy International School (GIS) should be thrilled by what their children are capable of doing. Last Friday, the students displayed outstanding wizardry and creativity by assembling mind-blowing robots at the International Robotics Competition (GISUTECH) that was recently held at Freedom City along Entebbe road.
The unique competition that attracted sixty participants from eleven countries including the more developed ones such as South Africa, Egypt, Morocco was won by GIS students Alor Luka Deng from South Sudan and Robert Temeh, a Ugandan-born Pakistani girl.
Deng and Temeh mesmerized the judges and the general public with their Speech-controlled Arms robot that can be used by physically handicapped persons. The robot responds to voice commands to execute simple tasks such as lifting a cup and food.
In an amazing project Deng a grade 10 (the equivallent of Senior Three) at Galaxy International School explained that his project is is meant to ease the lives of limbless persons.
Deng explained: “A person with no hands finds it hard to get helped. I imagined a situation where somebody can command a machine with voice and things get sorted.”
Seventeen year old Deng noted that he was inspired by the desire to help from his war-torn newly independent South Sudan country where thousands have been maimed by the over 20 year fight.
“We believe that this project will be of great help to people like my countrymen and women who have no limbs,” Deng added.
In the same queue 15-year old Taybah Chonorah from Nizamiye School Mayfair unveiled amazing Smart glasses for the blind which have potential to protect them from knocking objects because.
Chonorah invented a smart sensor that can detect the presence of an object 1.5m away.
The smart glasses are fit with micro- ultrasonic sensor that emits sound at 40 00Hz and travels through space.
“It is difficult for the blind to detect objects in their paths , so we have made a device to help the blind detect the objects in their paths . It is not a complete solution but it is a start,” Chonorah explained.
The GISUTECH is the first annual International Robotics Competition for Primary, Secondary and University students initiated by Galaxy International School Uganda alongside its sister schools; Turkish Light Primary School, Turkish Light Academy Secondary School and Horizon College Jinja, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports and Makerere University.
Ibrahim Bicakci, The Chairman Board of Directors Galaxy International schools Uganda, noted that the annual robotics competition is devoted to encouraging young people to apply their imagination, passion, and creativity to technological innovations that are geared towards making a difference in today’s world.
The local edition of the competition was held in May 2015 at national level where several schools from Uganda took part and attracted over 100 students who set up well-thought and skilled presentations.
Ibrahim Bicakci said: “This competition also promotes intercultural dialogue and cooperation, through the involvement of students and teachers from schools across the world as they showcase the results of weeks of intense preparation in a variety of thrilling innovations”
State Minister for Education Jessica Alupo lauded Galaxy schools for great innovations.
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