Local learners win gold at Beijing science competition

Clifford Mushakavanhu

THE Robotics Club from Wise Owl High School in Marondera recently embarked on an incredible journey to China.

The Talons Robotics team travelled to Beijing to present “Dr Sick” at the 44th Beijing Youth Science Creative Competition (BYSCC), held from March 26 to 30.

This international stage showcased the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.

The prestigious contest drew representatives from over 20 countries across the world.

“Dr Sick” is an innovative, AI-powered application that provides a convenient method for diagnosing, tracking and managing health concerns.

The app features a smart chatbot, trained on extensive medical datasets, which delivers accurate health insights.

It also includes an interactive map for locating nearby hospitals and medical centres during emergencies, a symptom analyser that predicts illnesses based on user inputs and instant access to information on diseases, injuries and treatments.

At the heart of this groundbreaking project is a brilliant trio of Jason Mguni, a Form Four learner; Tanya Muketiwa, also a Form Four learner; and myself.

The team was guided by their club patrons.

The BYSCC showcased some of the most groundbreaking innovations from young minds across the globe.

Among the hundreds of remarkable ideas and projects, “Dr Sick” stood out, earning first place in the competition and winning a gold medal.

Additionally, the Malaysian government delegation awarded the team the Malaysian Design Society Gold Award.

This incredible achievement marked not only a victory for Wise Owl High School but also for Zimbabwe as a whole.

It demonstrated that with the right drive, commitment and creativity, young scientists and engineers from Zimbabwe can compete on the global stage and make a lasting impression.

The team also expressed gratitude to Knowledge Chikundi, director of the Zimbabwe Science Fair, for his unwavering support for these programmes.

As the team returned home, they carried not just medals but also a renewed sense of purpose.

The journey of “Dr Sick” is far from over; it is only the beginning.

The future of AI in healthcare is unfolding and Wise Owl High School is proud to be a part of this transformative movement.

Clifford Mushakavanhu is a Lower Six learner at Wise Owl High School with a strong passion for computer science.