Penn State student teams submitted more than 63 proposals during the Idea Phase of the 2019 Nittany AI Challenge. Twenty of those teams have been selected by a panel of judges to receive $500 from the Nittany AI Alliance to move their idea forward and develop a prototype. To enter the Challenge, teams were asked to submit solutions using the artificial intelligence platform of their choosing to address real-world problems facing students at the University. AI companies including Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle offer hands-on workshops during the Challenge to assist students with development.
The teams awarded the prize money are made up of 87 student innovators from seven of the Penn State Commonwealth campuses. Their names and proposed solutions are listed below:
- Deep Sign: A real-time sign language recognition system.
- AleMS: AI energy management system to reduce energy expenditure on 24 Penn State campuses.
- AWARE: University sexual assault prevention application.
- CATA Smart-Loop: A tool to intuitively study data and prevent overcrowding on CATA buses.
- LionPad: A comprehensive housing tool for Penn State students.
- Resilient Resumes: Resume review system for students.
- UCurate: A tool to improve student learning through AI.
- NSO QuickAdvisor: A system to augment the advising process during New Student Orientation.
- AIODA: On-demand advising tool.
- University Course Scheduling: A solution to navigate conflicts when scheduling courses.
- CourseCat: A smart course search engine for students to use to browse courses offered at Penn State.
- Revu: AI tool to compile multiple avenues for learning course material.
- Matching Utility for Clubs: AI oriented application to match Penn State students to Penn State clubs.
- Hybrid Recommender System for Penn State Clubs: AI solution to match Penn State students to Penn State clubs.
- LionLight: A digital assistant and chatbot that will grow with the student.
- Library Resource Recommendation Summarization: A system to search for the most accurate and useful information in the shortest amount of time.
- EngagePSU: A platform to enable students to get the most out of their Penn State experience.
- iApplication: Online marketplace for counselors/mentors for admission consulting a career navigation.
- New Student AI Guide: AI chatbot used to answer questions often asked of advisors.
- Prospect Career Exploration Tool: Career exploration tool linking students to post graduates based on similar academic records.
Each of the teams receiving prize money will be required to submit a prototype of their original proposed project on April 3, 2019. All participants will be eligible to submit prototypes for evaluation, regardless of success in the first phase. Up to 10 prototype submissions will be awarded $1,500 prizes to further support the development of a minimum viable product (MVP) for the third phase of the challenge.