Students from Shenzhen Yanggang Junior High School (from left) Chen Xiaojia, Tan Wenbo, and Jiang Jiahan show off their handmade artificial intelligence fish lantern models. [Photo by William Xu/chinadaily.com.cn]
In an online demonstration video, a fish-shaped lantern swings in the air as if it is wading through water. It's the brainchild of a group of teenage inventors who brought light containers made of paper to life.
Unlike string marionettes or magic tricks using undetectable technology, the bright fish lanterns are born from a built-in artificial intelligence system developed by the “machine creation” group at Shenzhen Yanggang Middle School.
“In the fish lantern dance, dancers carry lanterns and imitate the movements of fish, which requires a lot of practice,” said Jiang Jiahan, one of the main inventors of lanterns. 17) says.
Jiang, who is in her final year of high school, says her team hopes to use AI to lower the barrier to creating fish lanterns that can move autonomously. “This will allow more people to participate in traditional performing arts.”
The fish lantern dance is a long-standing cultural heritage in Shenzhen's Yantian District, where Chiang Kai-shek's school is located, and Sha Ta Kok, which straddles the northeastern New Territories of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Yangan Junior High School adopts a hybrid education method, providing both academically oriented and vocational education. Many professional students take part in science units to hone their skills. The AI system used in the fish lantern, called “Dancer of Shadow,'' was made possible by students who are passionate about computers.
Tan Wenbo, 18, a final year student in charge of developing the system, explains that a sensor in the lantern's head identifies different graphs step by step and sends the results to the circuit board. The board is linked to her two small motors located in the lantern's head and tail, which drive the paper fish to perform the corresponding movements.
Jiang said the rules are based on the behavior of real fish. “For example, when fish see seaweed, which they feed on, they dance more often to show their excitement. When fish see coral, a favorite food for them to rest and hide nearby, they relax and begin to move.” It will be a little later. ”
AI Fish Lantern's latest mode has 7 movement sets for different scenarios. The idea was proposed by Jiang's upperclassmen, and one of the prototypes had been completed by the time Jiang joined the group. “The old model was too heavy to carry, and the cardstock shell would crumple in wet weather,” he says.
Jiang, a crafts major, made the lantern using xuan paper, a classic material used in Chinese painting and calligraphy, and iron wiring. This improvement reduced the weight of the lantern from 5 kilograms to 2 kilograms.
The upperclassmen's passion for AI fish lanterns has been passed on to the new students. Chen Xiaojia, a 17-year-old second-year high school student, took part in the project last year and is currently working on developing the motor and camera system. She heard from her senior students about the development of the lantern, including the added effort to continue group discussions despite the challenges brought on by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She grinned as she remembered the anecdote.
Chen says the project has ignited her passion for innovation, and she plans to take related courses at university, as do Jiang and Tan.
Yang Tao, 17, who was involved in the coding part of the AI system, said he had no programming experience and taught himself how to code after participating in the Fish Lantern Project.
Apart from the AI fish lantern, members of the school's science society are also looking at other scientific inventions with their expertise. Qiu Yiyuan, 17, created a palm-sized robotic vehicle that can lift small objects. Another member of the group, Tan Tan, 16, has developed a box device that uses water to generate electricity that can light light bulbs.
Mr Zhang Qiang, the association's consultant teacher, said the school hopes students will be free to explore their interests and identify their future careers through after-school activities.
Another consultant teacher, Wang Jiarui, said she was happy to see so many members of the group finding research topics on their own initiative and turning them into concrete results. She says these discoveries could revitalize intangible cultural heritage and also help with future development.
