An app-controlled robot that can distribute test papers around the campus of Kafr El-Sheikh University in Egypt has been created by a group of students from the College of artificial intelligence there.

“Our goal was to develop a project that the institution could employ right away. One of the 12 students working on the project with Professor Mohamed Abdo Qassem said, “The robot, infused with artificial intelligence and powered by the ROS (Robot Operating System), streamlines the process of disseminating papers and documents across university buildings.

He stated, “The robot uses two main models. “In the beginning, it uses a machine-learning algorithm to identify the best parking spaces by examining several parameters including distance, street width, and traffic. The historical data on which this model is built.

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Other features of the robot

Another student on the team, Haneen Mohammed Kamal Mohammed, added: “We’ve included a Computer Vision Model, which interprets traffic signs, including turn indications, stop signs, and pedestrian signals. This enhances the robot’s decision-making as it moves about the campus.

Mohammed emphasised the robot’s many benefits, particularly the considerable time and work saved while transporting documents between facilities.

The robot provides quick and error-free delivery while increasing the entire campus experience by utilising cutting-edge technology, she continued.

Aladdin Jamal Abbas Abdel Hamid, one of their team members, proposed that the robot—or others like it—could be utilised for a variety of tasks on campus in the future.

“This robot could be essential for tasks like waste collection, recycling, or even transporting equipment for university events,” he added. “Its applications go beyond just distributing papers.” This promotes efficiency and sustainability on campus while reducing reliance on human labour.

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Egyptian innovators to participate in Arab Youth Hackathon to tackle climate change

Meanwhile, A regional hackathon has been started by the Arab Youth Centre and PepsiCo to develop answers to climate change in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). University students and budding entrepreneurs who are passionate about building a more sustainable future are welcome to participate in the Arab Youth Hackathon.

Water security, agriculture, the circular economy, and renewable energy and efficiency will be the four main topics of the hackathon. Participants will have the chance to create novel solutions that deal with these problems and benefit the environment.

The PepsiCo Foundation will provide the winning teams with an equity-free seed grant to help them start their businesses. They will also be given access to a five-month incubation programme to help them develop and scale their concepts.

According to Eugene Willemsen, CEO of PepsiCo Africa, Middle East, and South Asia, “young people are particularly motivated to contribute to solutions to climate-related issues.” They also have the ability to shape community behaviour and persuade decision-makers to address environmental issues.

“The Arab Youth Hackathon harnesses the power of collaboration to channel this potential in tangible and measurable ways,” Willemsen continued.

According to Mohamed Shelbaya, CEO of PepsiCo North Africa, “We are brimming with pride as the initiative expands to foster more innovative minds from the wider region as part of the Arab Youth Hackathon.”

In advance of COP28, we are excited to start taking applications for the Arab Youth Hackathon, said Sadeq Jarrar, executive director of the Arab Youth Centre. At the Arab Youth Centre, we place a high priority on and actively advocate climate action, and we constantly work to develop effective programmes that encourage Arab youth to consider the future of our planet.

Jarrar said, “We look forward to witnessing the results of the Hackathon and the ideas our candidates suggest as a tool to spotlight Arab young sustainable inventiveness across the MENA area.

The stated sustainability aims of COP28 are supported in large part by private sector efforts, particularly those engaging youth. The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), PepsiCo, and the Arab Youth Centre will all provide their support to the hackathon. Plug and Play, a worldwide leader in driving innovation through a large network of accelerators, market-dominating businesses, and venture capitalists, will also provide its knowledge to assist the programme in taking off in the MENA region. 

According to Karima El Hakim, Country Director for Plug and Play Egypt, “We intend to continue supporting young Arab and Egyptian entrepreneurs to play a proactive role in providing sustainable solutions to climate concerns as one of the most active worldwide investors in sustainability. I’m excited to collaborate with our regional and Egyptian partners and stakeholders to find creative solutions, whether at the ideation or MVP stages.