On June 14, 2024, the 10th China (Shanghai) International Technology Import and Export Fair (referred to as "CITIEF") came to a successful conclusion at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center.

In the recommended list announced at the exhibition, STEM STAR saw a proud student name - Student Cui.

▲Image source: official

After careful evaluation by the expert jury, her invention "Perceiving the Invisible World - Design of Object Recognition Picture Books for Blind Children Based on Synesthesia Effect" stood out among numerous entries and was recommended to participate in the Youth Science and Technology Invention Achievement Exhibition of this Shanghai Fair (one of 22 youth works in the city). It is truly excellent!

▲The picture is sourced from the official source, with Cui, the fourth person from the right

Today, let's get closer to Cui, a tech prodigy who has grown up through STEM STAR.

Let's explore together what challenges and adventures she encountered during her process of invention and exploration

STEM STAR student information

Name: Cui Tongxue

Grade: Grade 8

Duration of study at STEM STAR: 3 years

Supervisor: Professor Cheng Zhengtai

Hobbies: I have a wide range of hobbies, including playing the piano, swimming, learning C++, and skateboarding. I have won the first prize in the Shanghai Casio Piano Competition and obtained a Grade 10 certificate. I have mastered three swimming strokes and achieved a score above the full mark in the high school entrance examination. I have been learning C++ and skateboarding for over a year.

School performance:

In January 2024, I successfully passed the direct entrance examination for a key middle school in Shanghai and was recently admitted to the high school department of a prestigious international school with excellent grades;

My main subject grades (Chinese, Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, German) are mostly A and A+, and my German has reached B2 level;

Actively participate in various activities both within and outside the school, such as sports competitions, cultural festival choirs, and Chinese language festivals;

Currently serving as a municipal/district-level junior researcher at the Shanghai Youth Science Research Institute.

Award Experience

During the STEM STAR learning period, the engineering-based scientific and technological innovation work independently produced by student Cui, titled "Perceiving the Invisible World - Design of a Visual Aid for Blind Children Based on Synesthesia Effect," has won numerous awards:

Won the first prize and two special awards in the 38th Shanghai Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition;

The 18th Soong Ching Ling Children's Invention Award & Shanghai Second Prize;

Shanghai City's One Million Youths Strive for "Rising Stars of Tomorrow" Finals & Rising Stars of Tomorrow Nomination Award;

Selected for the 10th China (Shanghai) International Technology Import and Export Fair 2024 Shanghai Youth Science and Technology Invention Achievement Exhibition, participating offline (one of 22 youth works from the city).

source of inspiration

Due to her previous experience of helping the blind, Student Cui began to pay attention to information related to the blind. She learned that there are many blind children in the world who, due to the loss of vision, are unable to perceive and understand the world normally.

In order to help these blind children, student Cui decided to create a physical picture book for blind children, allowing them to learn knowledge through their hands and grasp the key to light.

core functionality

This physical picture book for blind children utilizes artificial intelligence recognition technology to enhance visual perception, 3D printing technology to provide tactile feedback, and combines voice narration and scent dissemination. By integrating the ability of blind children to link and compensate their tactile, auditory, and olfactory senses, it ultimately aims to enable blind children to perceive the world more quickly.

Visually: Student Cui employed an AI-enabled camera to recognize QR codes, performing the identification task on behalf of blind children's eyes;

Auditory: The MP3 voice playback module will play the voice introduction of the item, helping blind children understand the things in front of them;

Tactile sense: Student Cui has created models of various objects on picture books, allowing blind children who use picture books to perceive the shapes of objects through touch;

Olfactory: She made essence cotton with different scents and placed them in scent boxes. When the scent box is opened, one can smell the corresponding aroma;

Through the above synesthesia reactions, this physical picture book designed based on the synesthesia effect of blind children effectively enhances their efficiency in recognizing things, helping them understand the world more quickly.

Classmate Cui believes that even if the windows are dusty, the sunshine can still shine through after they are wiped clean. Those who are blind will definitely lead a better life after receiving such help!

Student Q&A

1. Can you briefly introduce the device you made?

Hello everyone, I have designed a picture book device specifically for blind children, leveraging the synesthesia effect.

Since blind children have lost their vision, we need to compensate for this deficiency by utilizing other senses.

2. What aspect of this device makes you most proud?

What I'm most proud of about this device is that it has fostered my scientific inquiry ability. Secondly, the achievements this device has made are also quite impressive.

3. What are your thoughts when you see your own works displayed in the exhibition?

I feel extremely proud because my own idea and scientific research achievements can be seen by more people.

At the event, I was also able to see some excellent works created by others, which made me feel very enriched.

4. During the process of conducting this experiment, was there anything that impressed you?

What impressed me most is the modeling part. The main difficulty lies in constructing a three-dimensional model on the computer.

I am not familiar with many operations in the early stages, and I need to gradually familiarize myself with them as I proceed.

Including the moment when I went to test whether the item could really be used, the impression was also very deep. The instant I saw that I had really made it, I was extremely happy.

5. What do you think is the biggest change brought to you by scientific innovation?

I think the biggest change that science and technology innovation has brought to me is that it encourages me to take action and turn my imagination into reality, cultivating my ability to do things by myself and engage in scientific inquiry.

6. What do you like to do in your free time? What are your hobbies?

As for my hobbies, I enjoy playing the piano and learning some theoretical knowledge about astronomy.

7. Have these hobbies and preferences helped you in any way?

Yes, I feel it most acutely when I am studying astronomy.

Because astronomy involves tangible knowledge, to understand its operational mechanisms, one needs spatial imagination or the ability to reason independently.

When I first started 3D modeling, I needed some spatial thinking ability to imagine how one firmware would fit onto another component and what the result would be.

So I feel that these hobbies are helpful for later scientific and technological exploration.

8. How do you maintain your curiosity for exploration?

When observing novel things, I ponder how they function, which continually sustains my curiosity about the world.

9. What are your feelings about learning at STEM STAR?

I think there is a great atmosphere for learning at STEM STAR.

The classmates are all very friendly, very smart, and very kind.

Then the teacher was very kind, and her professional ability was also up to standard.

I think I had a great experience studying at STEM STAR.

10. Last year, I spent time working on projects and have been receiving awards since then. Do I feel a sense of accomplishment or any other emotions about it?

There is definitely a sense of achievement, because the effect of my own work has been recognized by many people, which makes me very happy.

I feel that I have gained a lot during this period. By seeing the works of many other people, I have gained a deeper understanding of scientific inquiry.

During this period, I also attended some lectures given by professors, and later participated in some oral defense and speeches, which all improved my abilities.

Not only has the scientific research project frequently won awards, but it has also been selected as one of the 22 youth works from across the city to participate in the Shanghai Youth Science and Technology Invention Achievement Exhibition. Student Cui has demonstrated to us with his strength what it means to be a true technological prodigy!

As an outstanding student representative of STEM STAR, Student Cui has set an example for young science and technology innovators, and fully demonstrated the correct educational philosophy of STEM STAR, which is "teaching for understanding and learning for innovation".

I believe that the story of Cui will inspire more young talents in technology to bravely explore the unknown fields of technology and write their own wonderful chapters with wisdom and sweat!