It’s all in the mind at ‘Hands-on’ event

Ten secondary school pupils from throughout the country experienced mind control of a drone during an educational session on the University of Otago campus on Thursday.

Organisers had planned for the drone to be flown outside the university’s Owheo Building in Union St, Dunedin, at 10.30am, but high winds meant it was operated indoors, in a foyer area on the first floor.

A total of 414 pupils from 170 secondary schools throughout the country are taking part in a greatly-expanded "Hands-on at Otago" programme at the university this week.

Secondary school pupil Gabby Wu (15), of Wellington, controls a drone using mind power during a ‘...
Secondary school pupil Gabby Wu (15), of Wellington, controls a drone using mind power during a ‘‘Hands-on at Otago’’ educational session on Thursday. Photo: Craig Baxter.

University events co-ordinator and organising committee member Deanna McLennan said the participants, mainly senior secondary school pupils, had a generally "fabulous" time and the event went well, despite having to be moved indoors.

The 10 participating pupils had earlier been working on projects involving forms of computer games, and  were to  present the outcome of their work at a report-back session yesterday morning.

The drone is a collaborative project between the department of computer science and the psychology department.

The drone’s operator, Associate Prof Zhiyi Huang, of the computer science department, said the mind had to be in an almost meditative state to allow the brain signals to give the machine flight.

Prof Huang said he had enjoyed interacting with a "good bunch of smart kids" and the indoor flights had avoided the drone being "blown away" outside.

The Otago "Hands-on" programme ran successfully for 26 years as "Hands-on Science", and over the past two years its intake has expanded more than 80%.

The renamed programme now includes many humanities and 20 business studies pupils, as well as the usual science cohort.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz

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