POWERED BY
INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Software for Business
Students at Kainos A.I.Camp
learn new AI techniques with
AWS DeepRacer
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K
ainos, a leading provider of digital
services and platforms, has given 45
university students the opportunity to
learn cutting-edge AI techniques, including
reinforcement learning using AWS. As part of
Kainos A.I.Camp, 45 students were given an
early preview of the AWS DeepRacer – a fully
autonomous 1/18th scale race car driven by
reinforcement learning. Students were given
a theoretical introduction to reinforcement
learning and shown how to write and train
an algorithm for AWS DeepRacer. After
creating and training their own models,
the students then competed in the AWS
DeepRacer League by racing the model car
around its track.
Kainos A.I.Camp is for undergraduates
with an interest in AI, and events are held
annually in both Birmingham and Belfast in
August and September each year. The camp
www.intelligentcio.com
gives students the chance to experience
practical scenarios and learn how AI can be
used to benefit everyday lives, and concludes
with a 12-hour hackathon. At both events
this year, a full day was dedicated to AWS
DeepRacer, offering a highly practical
way for students to gain an in-depth
understanding of emerging AI techniques,
covering theory, use cases and hands-on
training. As a result, students were able to
develop and deploy their own reinforcement
learning models onto the AWS DeepRacer.
Reinforcement learning is an advanced
Machine Learning technique, which
can allow machines to ‘learn’ complex
behaviours without requiring labelled
training data. It involves making decisions
about the ‘best possible’ action it should
take in a specific situation. The AWS
DeepRacer League is the world’s first global
autonomous racing league and is open to
all. It involves monthly Virtual Circuit races,
as well as in-person Summit Circuit race
events worldwide.
“AWS DeepRacer is an interesting and
fun way to get started with reinforcement
learning,” said Neil Mackin, Tech Business
Development, Amazon Web Services. “The
AWS DeepRacer League gives developers
of all skill levels the chance to meet fellow
AI and Machine Learning enthusiasts, both
online and in person, and to share ideas
and insights. At AWS, we want to provide
an environment that fosters innovation and
education among young developers, coders
and algorithm writers. Kainos is a member
of the AWS Partner Network that shares
this goal and the Kainos A.I.Camp is an
excellent opportunity to showcase the AWS
DeepRacer to a keen audience.” n
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