Team Pleiades triumphed at the Microsoft ASEAN AI for Accessibility Hackathon 2024

Have you wondered how we can make a meaningful impact with AI?

A passionate team of four students from the SUSS Artificial Intelligence Interest Group (SUSS AI-IG) did just that at the “Microsoft ASEAN AI for Accessibility Hackathon 2024 (Singapore and Brunei Edition).” Competing as 'Team Pleiades,' they captivated the judges and showcased their innovative spirit against formidable teams from SUSS and the Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB).

 _{From left to right: Lau Qian Tong, Wong Yu Ting Joyce, Dr Eunice Tan Meng Yin (Senior Lecturer, Head of Special Education Programme, S R Nathan School of Human Development), Kenny Trinh Dang Khoi and Chin Yu Ning}

To assist individuals with visual impairments in outfit selection, the team crafted Pleiades, a mobile application that serves as a digital wardrobe assistant. Pleiades integrates text-to-speech, speech-to-text, natural language processing and image recognition to offer personalised outfit recommendations and seamless navigation through audio and gesture controls.

_{Team Pleiades presenting their innovative solution that combines AI technology with seamless navigation controls to assist individuals with visual impairment to pick their outfits}

The hard work and dedication of Team Pleiades paid off spectacularly when they clinched 1st place among the competing teams from Singapore and Brunei.

This remarkable accomplishment highlights SUSS students' creativity and commitment to societal impact through technology. Team Pleiades exemplifies how future students can make a transformative difference with perseverance and innovative thinking.

_{Beaming with smiles, Team Pleiades championed as the winning team at the Microsoft ASEAN AI for Accessibility Hackathon 2024 (Singapore and Brunei Edition)} 

Kenny Trinh, SUSS Business Analytics Year 4 student, reflected his experience, “This experience taught me the potential of AI, especially in assisting visually impaired individuals. I am grateful for the teamwork and collaboration with fellow AI enthusiasts from SUSS AI-IG.”

Chin Yu Ning, SUSS Finance Year 4 student, shared, “This competition taught me about the struggles of the visually impaired and how daily tasks can be challenging for them. As a society, we should learn to empathise and foster greater inclusivity. I hope there will be an increased adoption of AI technologies to help them gain more accessibility and independence. I am grateful to my team for providing such an insightful learning opportunity.”