ISSAI researcher and third-year PhD student of the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences Zhanat Makhataeva presented her ExoMem project at the Fourth Annual EdTech Forum held in Nur-Sultan, June 27-29. The forum was held offline as part of the Astana Finance Days organized by the Astana International Financial Center. This year’s key theme was Mobility. Edutainment. Technology. Action (M.E.T.A).
Speakers at the M.E.T.A panel session presented their technological projects and discussed human-robot interaction in education, current and future education trends, and challenges facing educational reforms. In particular, Zhanat gave a presentation on the use of AR and AI technologies and their application in education or human assistance. She introduced the audience to her ExoMem project, an AR-based human memory augmentation system, and provided examples of other state-of-the-art technologies that can assist human vision, hearing and speech functions. For instance, she mentioned Microsoft’s PeopLens application–an AI-based assistive technology that improves social interaction for people with visual impairments. The other members of the panel included Rauan Kenzhehanuly (CEO of Bilim Media Group), Aziz Yeszhanov (CEO of Sifro.kz), Kwame Yamgnane (CEO of Qwasar Silicon Valley), and Pavel Koktyshev (CEO of AIFC Tech Hub).
The forum was also attended by the Minister of Higher Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sayasat Nurbek, the Governor of the AIFC, Dr. Kairat Kelimbetov, the Deputy Chairman of the Board of M. Narikbayev KazGUU University, Ainur Karbozova, and Coursera Head of Asia Sales, Eklavya Bhave.
The EdTech Forum is held annually with the aim of presenting measures and products that contribute to the improvement of education in Kazakhstan. Students, teachers, universities, government, and industry representatives come together to discuss and learn new ways to improve the quality of education in the region.