LJMU share AI insight at school technology day

Year 10 students from Liverpool Life Sciences UTC enjoyed a masterclass in the application of AI tools from LJMU's Dr Frederic Bezombes as part of an on-going collaboration with the university to inspire the next generation to embrace technology and to engage in STEM subjects.

The pupils had taken part in a whole day of activities learning about the power of AI tools and how they can be used effectively in combination with their own knowledge and skills.

Dr Frederic Bezombes, Associate Professor in Robotics from LJMU's General Engineering Research Institute, with expertise in AI, sensor technologies, 3D mapping and machine vision systems, shared examples of how AI is used in academia.

Dr Bezombes said: "I decided to demonstrate to the pupils that AI is not something to fear but a beneficial tool. To illustrate this, I presented a series of real-life AI project applications, such as Professor Paul Fergus and Dr Carl Chalmers' Conservation AI project - using AI to monitor and conserve wildlife and biodiversity around the world - and Dr Sandra Ortega Martorell's Target project - using AI solutions in the management of stroke related to heart failure.

"To make the session more interactive, I conducted a live demonstration of people distance detection and monitoring, and showcased our Boston Dynamics Spot robot, Ada, explaining how it uses AI to navigate within its environment. The presentation was followed by a Q&A from the pupils who asked some very good and pertinent questions about AI."

Reflecting on the visit, staff at Liverpool Life Sciences UTC, said: "It was brilliant to see how captivated the students were with the technology that Fred demonstrated to the students and 'Ada' the robotic dog was a massive hit.

"Visits from people like Fred really helps to demonstrate to our students that the unique project-based learning curriculum that they follow helps them to be on trend with technology developments.

"All of our students are from the local Merseyside area and often do not have the opportunities to see what is possible in the world of advanced technology and it makes a massive different in raising some of our students' aspirations."

LJMU a partner in the LCR Horizons project

The visit was arranged by the university's Horizons project team, who are working with other universities in the region to support SMEs to embrace and adopt the latest technologies and innovation to enhance their productivity. The team is also exploring ways to inspire the next generation of industry experts who could help to advance research, development and business growth with the right skills to meet future workplace needs by hosting campus tours and visiting schools and colleges in the Liverpool City Region.

Throughout 2024, LJMU will offer practical, hands-on assistance as part of the Horizons project, which is backed by £3.7 million from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the lead authority.

Horizons will support over 100 local SMEs, bringing cutting-edge and industry-leading innovations to the six boroughs through collaborative support from experts at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at LJMU, the Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC) at the University of Liverpool and from the SME Productivity and Innovation Centre (SME PIC) at Edge Hill University.

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