AI inspires inventive idea from Perse Prep pupil

Yiliang (Year 6) is creating an innovative AI-powered solution to comfort children in times of need.

The Perse Prep pupil is at the prototype stage with his idea of using adaptive AI embedded inside cuddly toys to help soothe youngsters.

It came about through Yiliang’s involvement in the BusinessKids programme, which encourages youngsters to develop entrepreneurial skills through their interests.

He said: “Lyndee (Oscar, BusinessKids managing director) told me about a girl, who also went to BusinessKids, who wanted to be able to talk with her teddy bear.

“The main thought behind my idea was to help children who have lost loved ones, but it could be used more generally.”

Using the JavaScript and Python programming languages, Yiliang set about developing the project by coding his speech to text to a chip inside the toy. Text would then be converted back to speech as the cuddly toy responds via a Bluetooth speaker.

Although the project is still a work in progress, Yiliang said the idea would be that the chip would remember increasing numbers of interactions between the child and the toy, eventually allowing for more natural conversations.

“The idea is it becomes more adapted to you,” he said. “For example, if you tell the teddy you like doughnuts and then another time, you say to it you’re feeling hungry, it might say ‘do you want some doughnuts?’ because it knows you like them.”

Yiliang was runner-up in the Young Entrepreneur category at the Essex Countywide Business Awards earlier this month after pitching his innovative plan to judges at the Essex Children’s Business Competition in October.

On the whole process, he said: “It’s been pretty fun. I’ve learned you have to keep trying because there have been so many times when things haven’t worked as I’ve been going along.”