Bengaluru, KARNATAKA  / Illinois,  U.S.A

Amaan Khan, 15, to travel to national competition

Plainfield :

A Plainfield South High School sophomore is traveling to a national science competition, after he created and programmed a self-driving car.

Amaan Khan, 15, will compete this week in the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Maryland, after winning the Illinois Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) in March, according to a news release from Plainfield District 202.

Khan created and programmed a self-driving car that can drive within designated lanes, stop and go at lights and avoid obstacles.

He won a $2,000 college scholarship and free trip to the national competition. He is one of two students from Illinois heading to Maryland to compete Tuesday through Saturday with 93 students from across the nation.

Competitors must submit a research paper and present their projects before a panel of judges and an audience of their peers.

Khan became interested in robotics and artificial intelligence last year, after he built a voice-controlled toy car. He took online college courses and watched college lecture courses and YouTube videos to teach himself computer programming.

“As I was learning I kept building the project,” Khan said. “I’d learn one thing, implement it, learn another thing and implement that.”

Patrick and Samantha Scanlan, PSHS science teachers, have supported Khan along the journey.

Samantha Scanlan helped Khan register for the contest. Patrick Scanlan helped Khan polish his oral presentation.

“[Khan] knows what he wants and seeks out the resources to do it,” Patrick Scanlan said. “And if there’s something he needs to learn, he’s able to figure out what he needs to be successful.”

The JSHS is designed to challenge and engage students in science, technology, engineering or math.

To see Khan’s car in action, visit youtube.com/watch?v=3dEgJ7sz6XA.

source: http://www.theherald-news.com / The Herald-News / Home> Local News  / by The Herald-News / April 30th, 2018