SEP12 Freedom Project: Computer Vision Machine Learning for Martial Arts

Context

The Freedom Project for APCSA is all about creating anything that we want, that must accomplish some sort of goal. We were given complete freedom in what we can do and use for this year of SEP, as we have spent the past few years learning all about computer programming and building applications.

The purpose of this blog is to document the journey I took in learning everything I learned in order to end up with my final product, a Computer Vision Deep Learning Model that can recognize martial arts techniques, and be used to develop a suite of tools for martial arts training.

Content

For my project, I am making a Computer Vision Program that uses a Deep Learning Model trained to recognize martial arts techniques in order to provide training tools for martial artists. This blog will walk through my process of independently studying several development tools in order to make both the model, and the tools.

Implications

There are many things to consider when it comes to anything AI related, and so my project is no different.

It is easy to see the positive global effects this project can have, as it is:

• Useful in providing martial arts training and instruction to anyone around the world.
• Usable in analysis of martial arts technique
• Can be used as a fun way to train martial arts while improving technique

However, the potential negative effects of my project do exist economically:

• Part of martial arts instruction can be entirely replaced by this technology, specifically developing technique.
• People may feel that they can neglect having to train at a martial arts school in general, especially the more advanced the models/tools get.

Thank You, HSTAT

This being my final Freedom Project for the Software Engineering Program, I feel obliged to give my thanks to everyone at HSTAT who has given me immense support and encouragment. To all my friends in the program, thank you for lifting my spirits so many times, for all the fun times we've spent together in class, and for the memories I will never forget. Every one of you are truly incredible and unique, contributing to creating a class where, if just one of us were missing, the class wouldn't at all be the same. Thank you to Mr. Sosa for kicking off our amazing experience with SEP, and being our grade advisor ever since. Thank you to Mr. Mueller for being a teacher unlike any other, who's energy and actions speak louder than his own words, a pretty hard feat to accomplish. I'll never forget this piece of advice, hanging up in his classroom, a classroom I've grown so used to seeing every day: "If you chase the grades, you won't achieve the learning. If you chase the learning, you'll achieve the grades." Except that was written in emojis. But it's still one of the most important messages of my life. Finally, thanks to all the students who checked out my project during the expo, and everyone who appeared at the showcase, as for all of us finalists, it has probably been one of the most important moments in our lives so far.

Until next time,

- Jan Carlo Avendano

Link to Github Repo
Link to Demo Video
APCSA Freedom Project Blog