Project ZION is an ambitious project to bring together the wonders of AI technology with education in a handheld device. The objective of Zion is to bring this innovative technology to marginalised communities and help with education.
ZION
UN SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Empowered and Driven:
Delivering Solutions for Global Issues
Quality Education (SDG 4):
ZION aligns with the UN goal of “Quality Education” as the primary purpose of ZION is to provide marginalised communities the opportunity to access educational resources easily. ZION will not require any form of internet connection to work therefore allowing those without internet access to education.
Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10):
ZION also aligns with the UN goal of “Reduced Inequalities” as ZION strives to reform education with the help of artificial intelligence. ZION is a small compact device that is capable of providing answers to users’ queries that can run offline. ZION’s target audience are communities with limited educational opportunities to provide assistance to pave the way forward for a better and more brighter future.
DESIGN STORY
Challenges
``Since ZION is an ambitious project that strives to bridge the gap of opportunities in education we have run into a fair share of problems. These include choosing the particular model of microcontroller that will run the chosen AI model well. The second notable problem the team members of ZION faced was the limitation of storage when transferring our chosen AI model to the raspberry Pi 5. ``
Solution
``Choosing the correct microcontroller was a trial and error process and the solution was utilising a raspberry Pi 5. This has worked wonderfully with the team's objectives. In terms of limited storage, we understood that to run an AI model smoothly on the microcontroller sufficient storage was needed. To solve this problem we’ve chosen a raspberry Pi 5 and with sufficient storage which is 8GB. ``
Use Case
The use case of ZION is that it will be provided to those in remote areas who desire access to educational resources/information. ZION will be the answer to their curious minds, the individual may type their query onto the touch surface of ZION and ZION will respond.
TECHNOLOGIES
List of Essential Tools and Technologies
THE PROCESS
PROTOTYPE DESIGN
“The team has worked extensively on creating the GUI for ZION in a way that is accessible for all users. While transferring the AI model to the raspberry pi 5.
The team has successfully transferred the chosen artificial intelligence language model on to the raspberry pi 5 8GB.
The team members have worked on setting up the 5inch touchscreen display, that is intended to be connected to the raspberry pi. “
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Online Marketing
Creative agency
Web development
PLEDGE
Impact on the market
``ZION will transform the artificial language model market with its unique feature of being able to function completely offline. As most AI models require to be connected to the internet to function. Unlike, ZION will provide information readily in any situation.
ZION will be geared towards education and providing resources and information. ZION will help those in less fortunate positions with their education. Overall, helping to expand inclusivity within society in the form of offline learning.
ZION has committed to aligning with the UN goals of “Quality Education” and “Reduced Inequalities”. As the primary purpose of ZION is to provide marginalised communities the opportunity to access educational resources easily. ZION’s target audience are communities with limited educational opportunities. And ZION will provide assistance to pave the way forward for a better and more brighter future. ``
RESULTS
FINAL PRODUCT
“The first stage of development of ZION included sourcing the correct hardware. This included obtaining the Raspberry Pi 5 8GB, 128 8GB SD card and finally a compatible 5 inch touchscreen display. The team has chosen to opt out of using a rechargeable battery and instead using an external power supply for the sake of simplicity.
The second stage of development included picking the correct language model to be transferred to the Raspberry Pi 5. The team had concluded Ollama language model to be the best suited for our purposes.
The third stage of development included hooking up the touchscreen onto the Raspberry Pi. During the same time the development of the GUI for ZION was undergoing. At the end of this stage a 3D case for ZION was designed and manufactured.
The final stage of development included tweaking the code for efficiency purposes. Until the device resembled a prototype the team was satisfied with.”
