Saskatoon student recognized at national science fair for AI hearing device

A Saskatoon high school student was recognized earlier this month at the Canada-Wide Science Fair for an invention to help the hearing impaired.

Yurui Qin, a 15-year-old Centennial Collegiate student, created a device with a camera that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect humans.

“When you have hearing impairments and you want to go on a walk or run, it’s very hard for you to know if someone or if anything at all is behind you,” she said.

Qin said she got the inspiration for the device when she read an article about a deaf runner in the United States who felt unsafe while running because he didn’t know when people were around him.

“I thought I could solve this simple issue just by using some AI,” she said.

When the camera detects a person, a sensor finds the distance between the user and the person behind them, and a vibration motor will then alert the person using the device.

She said the invention took roughly a year to construct.

“A lot of it I had to learn on my own through online resources,” she said.

Qin said she’s interested in exploring more about the functions of AI and its uses.

“We all know ChatGPT is becoming so relevant in today’s world,” she said, adding she hopes to delve deeper into the ways she can use it to benefit humanity.

The project made its first appearance at the University of Saskatchewan’s regional science fair in April, then earned her a spot at the Canada-Wide Science fair.

(Yurui Qin/Submitted)

Qin said her project secured four awards at the national science fair, including a gold award for excellence, a challenge award for digital technology, and two platinum awards for innovation and best intermediate project.

The student said she was competing with around 400 other contestants, and wasn’t expecting to have her name called during the awards ceremony.

“I was like, ‘There’s no way they’re going to say my name. There’s so many great projects,’ ” she said.

Qin said hearing her name called left her speechless.

“I was really excited to tell my family that I won,” she said with a laugh.

Qin said she’s thankful for the organizers, teachers, teammates and other finalists in the science fair.

“They just made my week the best experience of my life,” she said.

Qin is currently developing a fourth prototype for the device, and hopes to one day put it on the market.