Space Apps Challenge 2017

The 44th Move | Data Concierge

Sydney

Awards & Nominations

The 44th Move has received the following awards and nominations. Way to go!

Global Nominee

The Challenge | Data Concierge

Develop an artificial intelligence tool to help Earth science data users and enthusiasts find datasets and resources of interest!

Galaxis

AI-Driven, Virtual Space Buddy for Kids

The 44th Move

BRIEF EXPLANATION
GALAXIS is an open source, AI-driven web application that enables young children learning about space using simple conversational interaction.

TL;DR. Watch our video demo or read our presso in PDF

WORKING PROTOTYPE (MVP)
GALAXIS - https://44thmove.com/ - works best if you use Chrome or Firefox browser. Type or talk to ask your questions. In the prototype, we didn't include the voice interaction on mobile.

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PROJECT OVERVIEW
GALAXIS is an AI-driven, open source web application that enables young children to learn about our universe using simple conversational interaction.

Using the power of NLU (Natural Language Understanding), and empowered by real time data from various NASA resources, GALAXIS enables young children between the age of 4 to 10 to learn about the planets in our solar system, what space travel is like and why our earth is so special. Think of it like 'Stephen Hawking pocket edition', since GALAXIS is also a bit of a math ninja. By making interaction easy and fun, we hope to encourage children to engage naturally with their virtual space buddy.

Our vision is to reduce barriers to access reliable scientific knowledge using simple conversational interaction, especially for young kids who has yet learned how to read or type. Because you can interact using your own voice, it makes GALAXIS accessible for those with vision impairments as well. With GALAXIS, we strive to educate and inspire the next generation space travellers and innovators of the future.


PROBLEM WE TRY TO SOLVE

  • Difficulty to get access to a reliable source of scientific knowledge
  • STEM-related knowledge and information are often written using ‘insider language’ that are too complicated to understand by a young audience
  • The Internet is a jungle, not a safe space for young kids to explore unsupervised


OUR SOLUTIONS:

  • We make internet great again (^_*), by creating a safe medium for kids to learn using simple conversational interaction. Giving them control and freedom to explore their curiosity
  • Provide answers to complex subject in plain English, making it easier to understand


HOW
We turned to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help solve the problem. Utilising an open source NLU (Natural Language Understanding) engine, we created an AI-driven, virtual space buddy for kids between the age of 4 to 10. It’s accessible through web browser using both voice and text interaction.


OUR UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITIONS

  • Easy to access — available on web browser so no installation required*
    • *In our prototype, we only enable text interaction on mobile
  • Conversational — Allows voice and text interaction — great for young Padawans who have yet learned how to read or type
  • Friendly toward users with visual impairment
  • Utilise open source technology stack
  • Empowered by dynamic content gathered from various NASA sites and resources
  • Trustworthy, as it utilises open source, real-time data gathered from NASA


  • Unsupervised learning, the more you interact with Galaxis, the smarter it gets (hopefully :)


OPPORTUNITY FOR NASA
As we embark on a post-truth era, where pseudo-science rules over evidence-based facts, the role of technology has never been so important to combat ignorance. We believe that our mission to stimulate learning at young age and making it engaging resonates with NASA’s long-term vision.

We want to make STEM-related knowledge more accessible and easier to digest by the young mind of our space travellers and innovator of the future.


WHAT OUR APPLICATION DOES
We empower kids to interact with GALAXIS using voice interaction and together they can learn about our solar system, what space travel is like and what make our earth such a special planet.

For MVP, we trained GALAXIS with some knowledge about Mars, Earth, and Jupiter. It can also do a quick calculation of planet diameter, distance, object weight against planets gravity and object's flight time. It also knows the location of the ISS in real time.

FEATURES OVERVIEW

  • Speech-To-Text and Text-To-Speech — For young kids who have yet learned reading (including those with visual impairment)
  • NLU (Natural Language Understanding) Engine — Able to understand question intent so children can ask questions in their own words
  • Math skill — smart enough to do (some) space math calculation (for kids)


LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
With your help, we’d like to develop these following features to enable GALAXIS engage a wider audience:

  • Broader range of knowledge subjects
  • Deeper contextual awareness (for more natural conversation flow)
  • Multilingual support
  • Cross platform deployment (e.g. Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc.)
  • Computer vision for image recognition

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GALAXIS lives here: https://44thmove.com/
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TECHNOLOGY STACK AND RESOURCES USED:

NASA Logo

SpaceApps is a NASA incubator innovation program.