Week 3 - From AI for Everything to Big Wins

This week, unlike the previous two, did not involve an ordinary classroom session. Instead, we were given the amazing opportunity to visit the AI for Everything exhibition at Expo City Dubai. The event showcased the most recent advances in artificial intelligence, providing important insights into how AI is influencing businesses and tackling real-world challenges. It was an inspirational event that broadened our understanding of AI's possibilities and allowed us to network with industry experts.

Many of the discussions at the event focused on how AI is transforming industries, and this resonated with me as I continued work on iCue. Seeing real-world AI applications reinforced the importance of data-driven insights in sports technology. It also sparked new ideas on how machine learning could be further optimized for analyzing player movements and improving training recommendations.

One of the event highlights was the Middlesex Innovation Hub's (MIH) own booth. Along with my group members Sana, Ninas, and Arsal, I had the opportunity to present our GuardianEar project from our second-year Digital Signal Processing module at the MIH booth. GuardianEar is a smart device that detects spy microphones and determines how far they are from the device. Presenting our project in front of professionals and fellow students was a great experience that allowed us to demonstrate how GuardianEar uses signal processing techniques to make a real difference. The feedback we received was very positive and constructive. Hoping to take the project further with all the feedback received. The feedback also highlighted how AI models must be both accurate and user-friendly, a key takeaway I will apply while developing iCue’s recommendation system.

The event concluded on a positive note, with our group finishing as 1st runner-ups in Unipreneur's Youth AI Builder Contest! Winning this accolade for GuardianEar was a proud occasion that highlighted the significance of our efforts.

On the project front, I've begun work on the final formal proposal, opting to use LaTeX for a more polished and professional appearance. I revisited the LaTeX tutorials and started refining my document because I hadn't used it in a long time. I intend to submit the proposal early next week.

In addition, I researched the best approach to put the components on the cue stick. Following some research and meeting with Dr, Judhi, I realised that attaching the components to the end of the stick is the best method. As the majority of the shot force is concentrated at the top of the stick, this method increases stability and reduces the risk of damage. Moreover, I will be able to get more accurate readings from the sensor due to better angle positioning of the sensor.

Reflection

This week was a perfect combination of exposure and progress. Presenting GuardianEar at a large-scale event and gaining recognition provided a significant boost in my confidence. It reminded me how much I appreciate working on projects that address real-world problems. The experiences from the event will definitely help motivate me as I continue my work on iCue. Beyond gaining recognition for GuardianEar, the AI for Everything event provided valuable insights that I can apply to iCue. Seeing how AI is used for performance tracking and real-time analytics inspired me to refine how iCue processes motion data and delivers recommendations. This experience reinforced my belief in leveraging AI to enhance skill development, and I’m excited to implement these learnings in my project.

For iCue, I made substantial progress towards completing the formal project proposal. Revisiting LaTeX allowed me to improve my documentation abilities and arrange the proposal more professionally. After investigating the best mounting position for the hardware, I concluded that positioning the components at the end of the cue stick would result in more stability and data accuracy. This discovery is critical for the design phase, and I'll integrate it into my next steps. Overall, it was an eventful and productive week that laid the foundation for work ahead.