Int’l online education conference explores AI’s role in future higher education

An international conference on online education and massive open online courses (MOOC) opened in London on Thursday, drawing hundreds of educational professionals from across the globe to discuss the transformative potential of online learning and artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of higher education.

Themed “Reimagining the Future of Higher Education in the Intelligence Era,” the two-day 2024 Global MOOC and Online Education Conference (GMC), co-organized by World MOOC and Online Education Alliance and UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, invited educators, experts and policymakers from 135 universities, online education platforms, international organizations and government agencies across 28 countries and regions shared their insights.

Apart from rolling out the concept of “Year of Smart Education” for the first time, the GMC this year also saw the publication of two reports on the digital development of global higher education, highlighting how AI is accelerating the onset of a new era in smart education.

“The most important highlight of the reports is the proposal of the ‘Year of Smart Education’ concept. The educational scenario is no longer just between teachers and students. With the introduction of machines, a third role has entered, introducing such a scenario that features teachers, machines, and students. This is a change. So, we think that in the future, personalized education at scale is what the AI era may create to at last promote the comprehensive and personalized free development of individuals,” said Yang Zongkai, president of the Wuhan University of Technology, and also, an attendee of the conference.

Launched and led by China, the World MOOC and Online Education Alliance is the first international multilateral organization in the field of higher education digitalization. Comprising 16 world-leading universities and seven online education institutions from 16 countries across six continents, the alliance has become a pivotal platform for countries to share quality resources, exchange development experiences, and build international consensus.

With the adoption of advanced AI technology, MOOC has been providing learners with more personalized and intelligent learning experiences, including intelligent recommendation systems that suggest suitable courses and resources to learners, as well as virtual reality technologies that offer immersive learning environments.

Int’l online education conference explores AI’s role in future higher education

Int’l online education conference explores AI’s role in future higher education

A robot security guard that can operate both on the ground and in the water with the ability to track, combat, and capture, has recently been on patrol side by side with police officers in a crowded commercial district in Wenzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, as part of the country’s efforts to deploy advanced technology to aid public security work.

The spherical robot, decked out with cameras and flashing lights, rolled and tilted around without tippling over, drawing public attention with its futuristic shape and functions.

“I felt very safe when I saw police officers on patrol. Now with high-tech products, I think it can be even safer,” said Gao Jun, a resident.

The robot’s design and mobility enables it to reach many corners which traditional patrol equipment cannot get to.

“Its maximum speed is 35 kilometers per hour. If the operator pushes the lever very hard, its instantaneous acceleration can reach the maximum speed in about two seconds,” said Hu Dongming, a SWAT officer.

In addition, the robot can drive itself by collecting and transmitting GPS coordinates information on site.

And it is mounted with net guns to aim at a suspect and fire a net to entangle the target.

“Its biggest feature is that it can be used in a confrontational environment. Even if it is being hit at close range, it will not lose its function. It can improve the public security officers’ on-site handling capabilities in extreme environments or when there are crowds of people,” said Huang Sufeng, another SWAT officer.

According to Wang You, an associate professor from the College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, who led the research team for the project, they came up with the idea of ​​designing a fully-sealed spherical robot as they hoped it can be amphibious and capable of working in special and harsh environments.

Wang said the robot can be equipped with different sensors and devices, so as to adapt to demands under any circumstance.

“Different external devices can be mounted onto the robot. Police officers want to increase deterrent effect when patrolling, so they equip the robot with net guns. And at airports, the robot can be equipped with a loudspeaker to drive birds away. We research and development team defines the robot as an intelligent, mobile vehicle,” said Wang.

The robot’s spherical shape, however, makes it shake constantly, leaving it unable to perceive the external environment and difficult to control its route accurately.

The researchers finally found a solution to the challenge after six-year efforts, said Wang.

“One of my PhD students came up with a great idea. Based on the control of the momentum wheel, we add motion control with induction motors onto the robot, greatly improving its motion performance. The spherical robot is also equipped with lidar and cameras. In open areas, it can achieve a near-L4 level of unmanned driving, and can automatically move along the set route and avoid obstacles,” he noted.

Now, the robot can not only adapt to harsh environments and complex terrains, but also operate normally under corrosive, radioactive, flammable and explosive dangerous conditions, making it particularly suitable for tasks of countering terrorism and maintaining stability.

China’s high-tech spherical security robot enhances policing in crowded wenzhou streets