Have you wondered how a phone is able to translate your voice to text, or how a self-driving car knows how to stay inside the lines? These and many other complex problems are tackled by a type of computer programming called a neural network. These networks are modeled based on the electrical connections in your brain that enable you to learn. For both your brain as well as artificial intelligence in the form of neural networks, learning is made possible through creating and strengthening connections between neurons. A simpler, although still very important, application of neural networks is to sort data, which is what we will do today.
The student handout will be given to all students working on the design challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.
Neural Network Sorting TEK8 Facilitator’s Guide
This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.
The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.
The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.