
Detroit robotics teams ready up for high stakes challenge
(CBS DETROIT) — For the past ten years, the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation has been home to the Robotics Engineering Center of Detroit.
"Students can come learn about STEM and really take their skills to the next level to better prepare them in the workforce and in the world," said Kaitlyn Oak, manager of the Robotics Engineering Center of Detroit.
Seven robotics teams from high schools around the city share this space.
"Each of these teams come together to share tools and ideas and resources, and are able to really learn from each other," Oak said.
For some students, the collaborative environment is the best part of going to the center.
"I met quite a lot of people ranging from underclassmen that I currently have to say goodbye to, or even the upperclassmen who have pretty much guided me through this and, through the past four years, teaching me everything I need to know," said Diego Vazquez, a senior at Cesar Chavez Academy High School.
The teams have eight weeks to build a 150-pound robot that will participate in games at the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics in Michigan competition, and have a chance to qualify for state and world championships.
"FIRST has an amazing access and portal to lots of different scholarships and lots of different schools because this program is so big in the state of Michigan," Oak said. "Nearly all of the colleges know about FIRST and are trying to recruit FIRST students."
One great aspect of FIRST is that anyone can go pro.
"They have something for everyone, whether you want to build a robot, program the robot, design the robot or even work with some teams who have a marketing division," Vazquez said.
Anyone wanting to create something remarkable can go to the Robotics Engineering Center of Detroit for inspiration.
A robot reveal event is happening Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the University of Detroit Mercy. Anyone is welcome to attend and learn more about the program.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Major US airport announces partnership with Chinese brand that could transform travel experience: 'Showcases a forward-thinking approach'
Global electric vehicle champion BYD is introducing battery-electric shuttle buses to Oakland International Airport in Alameda, California. As the fourth-largest airport in the state, serving around 11 million passengers annually, OAK's incorporation of EVs is sure to make an impact. It is introducing five new K9MD shuttles, each of which seats 42, for passengers and employees. Powered by long-lasting lithium-ion phosphate batteries, these climate-friendly buses release zero tailpipe pollution and are thus a step up from conventional airport shuttles. "This step paves the way for the eventual electrification of the airport's remaining shuttle buses, which are currently powered by renewable natural gas," the airport reported in a May news release. "Fleet electrification will continue over the next decade until OAK reaches a 100% zero-emission shuttle bus fleet." OAK is no stranger to taking eco-conscious initiatives. Both RNG-based vehicles and electric vehicles have significantly less planet-warming impact than those powered by traditional fuels; RNG vehicles achieve this by capturing methane from waste, and EVs do so by cutting reliance on combustion altogether. The electric shuttles align with OAK's mission of long-term sustainability as well as the airport's commitment to smooth, quiet, and comfortable rides for its passengers, per Electrek. By setting a goal of reaching zero emissions sometime in the future, OAK is cutting down on its carbon pollution and the reverberations of the overheating planet, from intensified weather events to global food and public health insecurities. With this latest order, it looks like the Chinese brand BYD — responsible for these new electric shuttles as well as other automobiles worldwide — will soon find itself among leading EV developers in California. "Another lost opportunity for EV makers here in the U.S.," one user commented on Electrek. "This ambitious project showcases a forward-thinking approach to environmental stewardship without compromising on efficiency," the airport noted. Would you buy an EV if it only took 5 minutes to charge? Sign me up No way Depends on the cost Depends how much range it has Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Infobip Unveils CXOP: The Next Generation of AI-Powered Customer Conversations
Built on agentic AI, CXOP delivers intelligent, hyper-personalized experiences across the full customer journey VODNJAN, Croatia, June 10, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global cloud communications platform Infobip today announced its Conversational Experience Orchestration Platform (CXOP) — a game-changing solution that places agentic AI at the heart of every customer interaction. CXOP enables brands to move beyond static, rules-based workflows to deliver dynamic, goal-oriented conversations across marketing, sales, and support — at scale. The announcement builds on Infobip's AI Hub, marking a major step forward by natively infusing agentic AI across Infobip's entire award-winning product stack — unifying channels, data, and automation into a single intelligent platform. Built on Microsoft Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models, CXOP uses intelligent AI agents to orchestrate personalized customer journeys across channels like WhatsApp, RCS, and web chat. These agents understand context, act autonomously, and seamlessly collaborate with human teams when needed — reducing time to resolution, improving loyalty, and cutting costs. Today's consumers expect instant, relevant, and seamless interactions no matter what the channel. CXOP meets this demand by unifying messaging, automation, and AI-powered assistance within a single, intelligent platform that adapts to behavior, sentiment, and intent in real time. With CXOP, businesses can: Deliver empathetic, goal-driven AI interactions across channels Slash response times and reduce service costs through automation Increase lead conversion and campaign performance with real-time personalization Support hybrid teams with human-in-the-loop for complex cases Launch fast with no-code or full-code deployment options At its core, CXOP leverages a network of intelligent, agentic AI assistants that understand user intent and execute context-sensitive workflows. These agents don't just answer — they guide, solve, and act, creating fluid, human-like experiences from lead generation to retention. "CXOP enables enterprises to move beyond static workflows and deliver intelligent, empathetic interactions at scale," said Ivan Ostojić, Chief Business Officer at Infobip. "It's a foundational step toward building AI-first customer experiences that drive measurable business impact." "Using agentic AI instead of a rules-based automation, Infobip's new CXOP is an enhancement for customer experiences," said Myladie Stoumbou, Sr Director ISV Partnerships, at Microsoft. "Available within the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, clients can access such certified products and eliminate the complexity of managing individual vendor relationships." About Infobip Infobip is a global cloud communications platform that enables businesses to build connected experiences across all stages of the customer journey. Accessed through a single platform, Infobip's omnichannel engagement, identity, user authentication and contact center solutions help businesses and partners overcome the complexity of consumer communications to grow business and increase loyalty. View source version on Contacts Marcelo Bojana Mandić Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Why Greater Manchester 'can hit the ground running' amid huge AI school plans
One million students will be prepared for jobs of the future thanks to a new artificial intelligence (AI) training programme. Around £187m will be invested in the national skills programme to bring digital skills and AI learning into classrooms and communities, the Prime Minister has announced. It comes as the government aims for 7.5m workers across the UK to gain essential AI skills by 2030. Research commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) reveals that by 2035, around 10m workers will be in jobs where AI will be part of their role or responsibilities in some form, with a further 3.9m people in positions directly in AI. READ MORE: Boy, 14, stabbed to death named and pictured amid huge murder investigation READ MORE: Manchester murder investigation LIVE updates as police make arrests and seal off house after boy, 14, killed This week, Rachel Reeves will announce billions of pounds to 'turbo-charge' the tech sector as part of her long-term spending plans. Ahead of the Chancellor's Spending Review on Wednesday (June 11), the Prime Minister has announced a £187m 'national skills drive'. TechYouth, the 'flagship' strand of this programme which is backed by £24m of government funding, promises to give 1m students over three years across every secondary school in the UK the chance to learn about technology and gain new career opportunities. It builds on the CyberFirst programme which has already helped hundreds of thousands of young people gain cyber security skills. Last week, Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle was at Salford's MediaCityUK to see the scheme for himself. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, he said the new initiative will be delivered locally, using facilities such as those available at MediaCityUK. He said: "For Greater Manchester, you can see that you already have in MediaCity the physical ability to grasp the new resources that the government is going to be putting into skills development. "So in other words, you've got the space and the resources that can cope with the massive upscaling that we're going to be delivering for cyber skills and cyber skills development into the future. "Whereas other parts of the country are going to have to find the space, you can hit the ground running." According to the government, in each of the UK's regions and nations, a local delivery partner will be selected by DSIT, to run the programme and deliver activities to schools and colleges in local areas. The TechFirst programme also promises to support over 4,000 graduates, researchers, and innovators through three additional strands. With £96.8m, TechGrad will support 1,000 'exceptional' domestic students a year with undergraduate scholarships, TechExpert will give up to £10,000 in additional funding to 500 domestic PhD students conducting research in tech, with a total of £48.4m to spend, while with £18, TechLocal will offer seed funding to help regional innovators and small businesses develop new tech products and adopt AI. Major industry players including IBM, BAE Systems, QinetiQ, BT, Microsoft and the Careers & Enterprise Company have backed the initiative. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 'We are putting the power of AI into the hands of the next generation – so they can shape the future, not be shaped by it. 'This training programme will unlock opportunity in every classroom – and lays the foundations for a new era of growth. 'Too many children from working families like the one I grew up in are written off. I am determined to end that. 'This programme is the Plan for Change in action – breaking down barriers, driving innovation, and giving every young person the chance of a good, well paid job and a bright future.'