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Meet Kerala's first AI ‘classmate'

Meet Kerala's first AI ‘classmate'

At just 20, C Abhinav, a computer application student from Mannarkkad Universal Arts and Science College, has managed to give life to a 'classmate' who is not flesh and blood but can answer questions, solve math problems, and even chat with others in Malayalam.
His creation, Kerala's first AI student robot 'Mia', is now part of a batch at Ariyoor Nayadippara A L P School in Palakkad. She is dressed in uniform like the other children, ready to answer anything from 'Who is India's Prime Minister?' to 'What sound does a tiger make?'
Abhinav's fascination with technology began in school, thanks to the Atal Tinkering Lab initiative in schools. 'I started developing apps when I was in Class 9,' he says.
But his journey with Mia started when the school's principal, K Baburaj, approached him with a challenge. Baburaj shared a video of Iris, Kerala's first AI teacher, and asked if it would be possible to create something similar but affordable for ordinary students.
'Out of my overconfidence, I agreed. I even said I could finish it in four days. But when I got home and started working on it, I realised that hardware is not as easy as software,' Abhinav recalls.
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