SAN ANTONIO – A teen robotics team in San Antonio is trying to develop an early warning flood detection system after the Hill Country floods.
The TechnoWizards Robotics Team is using artificial intelligence to develop the model.
Conversations have been happening across the state since July 4 about what future warning systems could look like. Angela Zhang said she started the project to help.
“I decided to maybe take my past projects and turn them into something that can be used for this situation,” Zhang said.
The TechnoWizards are made up of eighth graders, ninth graders and 10th graders. The teenagers are working with college students to build the program.
“It’s a deep learning model,” Zhang said.
Here’s how the model works:
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Using photos from past floods, the AI system learns to detect rising water
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Cameras are placed in areas of high risk
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Those cameras capture live images, and the AI model analyzes if the water levels captured are dangerous
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If they are dangerous, the AI model sends an alert to residents via phone and email
The design is still in its early stages. In the meantime, the teenagers have found another way to use AI. They’ve programmed block code to embroider T-shirts, and they’re donating the proceeds made from sales to families in need.
The TechnoWizards have teamed up with the Federation of Korean Associations of the States of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas, and San Antonio’s Community Alliance for Traffic Safety.
So far, the federation has raised $6,000 to fund the development of a warning system.
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