In 2021, three final-year students of Physics and Electronics, at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, AAUA, Ondo State invented a robotic dog as their final year project.
Following suit, in 2023, another set of students from the department set a new record by inventing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Wardrobe as a final-year project.
The three students were, Promise Ijalade, Ogonifoluwa Paul, and Aslem Emmanuel
Speaking with EDUGIST, the fresh graduates narrated their journey and experiences with how the AI Wardrobe was developed.
According to them, they were under the supervision of a lecturer, Mr Adedeji Jelili who brought to reality their final years project which some see as unnecessary, but their doggedness made the difference.
Promise Ijalade told EDUGIST that an earlier developed Artificial Intelligence robotic dog caught his attention and gave birth to the artificial intelligence wardrobe.
“It all started when I was looking for a project to do and my supervisor presented a series of topics before me — when I saw the main topic which is ‘Artificial Intelligence robotic wardrobe ‘caught my attention, even though it looked a bit difficult, still I went for it because I love challenges,” he said.
“I don’t have experience with the project but I have been into Tech before I gained admission. I’ve been repairing systems and fixing systems. So, I love Tech so much and that fundamental knowledge helped me aside from what was taught in school.”
He added that many of his colleagues and people were so surprised — asked if it was necessary to build the AI Wardrobe but promised to make it a reality.
Highlighting the challenges faced, Paul stated finance and poor electricity played great setback milestones in the course of building the project.
“The challenges we encountered were finances and technicalities. I went back to my lecturer who first assigned one student to me but later on, he assigned one more student to make us three that produce it. We faced electricity challenges throughout the work which makes it very challenging.
“We faced a lot of challenges but most challenges were from the electronics design and its structural design which are very expensive.”
In the same vein, Ogonifoluwa Paul said the project was about how to use the robotic wardrobe at home, usually computerised equipment.
He said, “The project was completed by myself and two of my colleagues, and the idea was brought by our project supervisor, Mr Adedeji who gave us the project.”
Similarly, Aslem Emmanuel maintained that the idea was gotten from the list of suggested projects from the supervisor-in-charge and there are positive responses about it because the project is a group work.
Emmanuel added that the wardrobe is meant to keep the personal data or belongings of the user, safe and secure from any external intrusion and can only be accessed by the user’s identity.
The project supervisor, Mr. Jelili Adedeji stated that the project idea was first given to Promise to carry out but after deliberating on the stress and the challenges, two of his coursemates were added to meet the deadline for project defense.
Mr Adedeji, who doubled as the academic staff lecturer from the department said, “We intend to make it a wardrobe suitable for hotels, schools, and personal use, but It would cost a lot of money to make it as a large wardrobe so we did a prototype example.”
Speaking further on the challenges encountered, he said finances were the first followed by technicality. He mentioned the third one of materials, saying most of the materials were not produced in Nigeria.
“The fourth was electricity and the fifth we also don’t have somewhere we can keep the work. I had to keep it in my office so that people would not tamper with it, although we meet regularly every Friday to discuss the way forward.”
He further said the idea was brought about due to the high level of unemployment among graduates, hence, the need to train students to be relevant and self-reliant even while in school.
“Becoming relevant in the future is a product of what you do when you are in school. The school management should approach the government for assistance and in that case, they can generate revenues for the school through things like this.
“However, the wardrobe is a rechargeable one and you do not need to put it on every time so that it would consume less power. It also has a space for charging where you can charge your phone.”
By: Friday Omosola
