TOP TIPS for students
TOP TIPS for students completing a Gold project 1. Understand the problem Find out more about the Industrial Strategy Grand Challenge and make sure you are clear about the problem you need to solve and the time you have. If you are developing you own project idea, discuss your ideas with your teacher or mentor. 2. Plan your approach Draw or write a plan showing how you will approach the problem, the tasks you will complete, the resources you’ll need and how long you will spend on each task. Ask your teacher or mentor for feedback on your plan. 3. Watch out! Identify any risks to health and safety or ethical concerns you think there will be. Decide how you will limit or overcome these risks. Show your risk assessment to your teacher. 4. Research Find a professional mentor by contacting your local STEM Ambassador hub: stem.org.uk/stemambassadors/local-stem-ambassador-hubs Find out more by doing some research using the suggested links on the project page. Research relevant news articles, blog posts and other media sources. 5. Use your research to improve your plan and generate ideas Use your research to help you come up with a possible solution or to select the best experiments to use in your practical work. 6. Finalise your idea and carry out practical work Carry out any practical work including experiments, surveys, designing and making activities. When testing your ideas, make sure you make it a fair test and record all your results clearly. You could also use photos and a diary to record your project activities. 7. Concluding your project What have you found out by doing your project? Did you come across any problems, how did you overcome them? What is the impact of your project for other people, how could it be developed further? Has it changed how you feel about the Industrial Strategy Grand Challenges? 8. Choose the best way to communicate it Tell others about what you did. You could use a written report, a digital presentation, a blog or a poster display. Make sure you include each stage from planning through to the conclusion. Remember, science isn’t just about data. The most successful projects will demonstrate good communication skills and show original ideas that address a real-world problem. Even if things go wrong, use this to show what you have learned. 10
Ageing Society | AI and Data Personal assistant Project brief In this project you will design and program an AI personal assistant tool to support an older person living alone. You will need to investigate the needs of older people before selecting the most appropriate basic tool to use and programming it to carry out a specific task. You will need to: • Research the needs of older people living independently; • Identify and assess a range of digital personal assistant tools available; • Design a prototype model or programme of your personal assistant tool and test it with your target audience. You should start by researching current robotic personal assistants such as chatbots available for the home and for the workplace. You could also research the use of artificially intelligent virtual companions. Are any of them currently designed specifically for elderly people? Research the needs of older people living alone. What roles do human carers and other adult support workers play in their lives? If you design a concept for a new AI personal assistant tool you will need to show how the system would collect and use data to trigger actions. Alternatively, you could program an existing device to carry out a specific task to enhance the life of an elderly person. Things to think about • What tasks and decisions can be carried out by a machine? • Will it be controlled by voice, text or visual stimulus? • How would your device enhance life for an older person? • Are there any risks to relying on a digital personal assistant? • What would happen if the data collected by the device got into the wrong hands? Useful resources • theguardian.com/commentisfree /2018/jul/02/robo-carershuman-principles-technologycare-crisis • independent.co.uk/lifestyle/health-and-families/healthnews/the-robot-that-couldrevolutionise-home-care-forelderly-people-stevie-usa8068931.html Health and safety To avoid any accidents, make sure you stick to the following health and safety guidelines before getting started: • find out if any of the materials, equipment or methods are hazardous using science.cleapss.org.uk/Resource s/Student-Safety-Sheets/ • assess the risks (think about what could go wrong and how serious it might be); • think about how data and information on your system will be stored; • when testing your ideas, make sure participants understand the purpose of your project and how you will use the information collected; • decide what you need to do to reduce any risks (such as wearing personal protective equipment, knowing how to deal with emergencies and so on); • make sure there is plenty of space to work; • clear up slip or trip hazards promptly; • make sure your teacher agrees with your plan and risk assessment. 11
