Regional News of Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Source: Dartey Obeng

Prempeh College wins Toyota Innovation Award

Prempeh wins Toyota Innovation Award Prempeh wins Toyota Innovation Award

Technology in the world is gradually getting more sophisticated with innovative solutions springing up almost daily.

This has started the recent trend of children being taught the basics of artificial intelligence and engineering. Countries in the West and Asia teach school age children how to programme. I must say I’m impressed how Ghana, West Africa in past few years isn’t folding up its arms but rather, is developing its youth in the same light.

Prempeh College and Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High school after placing 1st and 3rd in the national ROBOGOLF qualifiers participated in this year’s Lawrence Technological University(L.T.U.) ROBOFEST competition; organised at L.T.U. in Southfield, Michigan, U.S.

The event, founded and designed by Professor CJ Chung, Ph.D; a Computer Science Professor at L.T.U. is an international festival of robots where a team of students competes and exhibits their solutions that can accomplish missions using autonomous robots of diverse builds. This exercise puts their maths and design skills to test.

The cool bit about all this is that team coaches are not allowed to touch/alter the designs made by the team members, they must supervise and give help only when needed.

At the just ended competition, Prempeh College grabbed the Toyota innovation award for the Senior Game category.

Each member of the team also received a trophy in recognition of their contribution to its success. According to Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation’s Facebook page; ” Their solution was adjudged to be the most innovative; capturing the excellent incorporation & deployment of the use of sensors and top-notch programming skills; autonomously navigating & maneuvering the 30? × 72? field and putting 4 golfs into the central ‘A’ to earn maximum points.”

The Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC, Legon) team who represented Ghana placed top 20 in their category and grabbed the prestigious LTU 2016 Achievement Award.