This year is the 18th year of the Microsoft Innovation Cup.

In 18 years, as the world ’s largest student science and technology event, it is not young, but there are still waves of young people competing each year, and a “adult ceremony” on innovation is completed here.

Yesterday was the 2020 Microsoft “Innovation Cup” China Finals. Among 1,691 students from 352 universities, the team from Xidian University won the championship with “Muses Artificial Intelligence Composition”. In February next year, they will represent China to Singapore to participate in the Asian Finals.

In recent years, it can be seen that each participating project is paying more and more attention to artificial intelligence, and the proportion this year has reached 80%.

This not only shows that the current team of students has gradually mastered the relevant technologies of AI and machine learning, but also that they are trying more to use AI technology to improve people’s lives and make the technology truly applied.

Multiple “Innovation Cup”

Almost two-thirds of the top-ranked projects this time involve AI. Although many technologies are focused on AI, the types and field spans involved are wide.

The team of China ’s champion Miao Sizhiyin focused on the AI ​​soundtrack.

They found that short videos, e-commerce advertising, and games are developing faster and faster. In the process, a lot of soundtracks are needed, but traditional artificial music creation is slow, expensive, and complicated. These difficulties make soundtracks necessary The scene consumes a lot of manpower and material resources.

So they want to solve this industry dilemma with Muses Artificial Intelligence Composition.

Other software can already generate a piece of AI music directly. The special thing about this project is that they can also understand the video semantically. After machine learning, combined with user-uploaded videos, Muses can achieve a low-cost, fast and accurate self-service music composition service.

When a large-scale blind test of more than 400,000 people will be performed on the generated AI music, 77% of users fail to distinguish the difference between artificial intelligence composition and ordinary work composition. “Miao Si Zhi Yin” team member said:

Under the premise of letting a user know that this is an AI composition, he still admits that this thing is very nice, can move him, and can bring a sense of resonance with this game. At this moment, we willI think it’s worth it.

When asked about the copyright of machine learning music, the “Miaosi Zhiyin” team said that they trained nearly 50,000 tracks of AI, including more than 4,000 samples of rock music, more than 9,000 jazz music, and more than 11,000. The first classical music is all copyright-free, and the generated music is even copyright-free.

At present, they have created the world’s largest emotionally labeled MIDI training set “EmoMIDI”, and also applied for two invention patents and a number of software copyrights. They have initially formed technical barriers and are very close to the project.

Under the 5G tuyere, the second prize of the “Optical Fiber Factory Fusion of Big Data and Intelligent Algorithms” project also uses machine learning, plus big data technology, which can analyze preform data and optical fiber data. Establish different models according to functional requirements, and then form a visual system to make the fiber preparation process more intelligent. This is the lowest design of 5G;

In order to solve the problem of slow and low efficiency of traditional fermentation mode for making fermentation products, BioJN Fermentation Technology Cloud Service System uses Microsoft Cloud’s database, Internet of Things and machine learning platform to improveProduction rate of high-microbial fermentation products;

In order to reduce the consumption of a large amount of labor and manual detection of defects in the process of agricultural product inspection, the “Intelligent Classification System for Reconstruction and Machine Vision” uses 3D reconstruction and machine vision to accurately grade fruits.

It is worth mentioning that this year’s Microsoft “Innovation Cup” China finals also cooperated with the Institute of Geophysics of the China Earthquake Administration to introduce topics in earthquake prevention and disaster reduction technology and encourage participating teams to apply big data, artificial intelligence and mixed reality Relevant technologies solve scientific problems in the field of earthquake prevention and disaster reduction.

Kang Rong, vice president and general manager of marketing and operations for Microsoft Greater China, told Ai Faner:

The scenes chosen by students this year are particularly diverse, which is also a good momentum. When we evaluate these works, we also take into account the diversity and tolerance of the work, because Microsoft has always believed that the technology industry must use this open and diverse spirit to serve people around the world.

Using technology to solve life problems

In addition, it is not difficult to see that this year’s projects have an outstanding common point. Most of the projects are closely related to our lives. What they try to solve is the problems that really happen to us.

For example, navigation is indispensable when we go out, but the indoor navigation software is basically useless. Therefore, with the second-ranked follower team project “LIPS-Indoor Visible Light Positioning and Navigation System”, through the LED visible light communication technology, a small positioning module was developed and installed on a small machine. It can be used for indoor pedestrians and vehicles. Real-time positioning with an accuracy of 4.5cmIn order, people can easily find a parking space in the parking lot, easily find the entrance at the airport train station, and even find a bottle of milk in the mall.

When asked about the evolution of innovation in this “Innovation Cup”, Dai Ziyi, chief technology officer of Microsoft China and chief strategy officer of Microsoft Innovation Alliance, also told Ai Faner:

This year’s “Innovation Cup” is already in the post-00 era. The projects they have done cover some of the problems they have observed since childhood. These teams are very concerned about social pain points and can use digital methods. To solve them.

These social pain points include severe traffic congestion and control problems in Inner Mongolia, increasing water pollution, increasing ageing, and poor baby care after the second child policy was introduced.

Everything is difficult at the beginning, and now these questions have preliminary answers.

Unlike many science and technology competitions, where the awards are given after the speeches are finished, the problems to be solved in the “Innovation Cup” project are being implemented step by step.

Last year’s “Innovation Cup” China team, Shenzhen University’s “Railway Operation Maintenance Maintenance Inspection Robot” project, has now successfully settled in the “Microsoft-Guangzhou Yunji Mobile” located in Nansha Economic Development Zone.Mobile Application Incubation Platform. ”

▲ The “Robot operation and maintenance inspection robot” project was field tested in Shenzhen Metro

This year’s “Muses Artificial Intelligence Composition” project will also have a special mentor team composed of technical experts from Microsoft Research Asia, Microsoft Solutions, Microsoft Accelerator and Microsoft Incubator, which will continue to help the winning team further improve business ideas.

In the beginning, after the participating teams changed from more than 1,000 to 20 after the preliminary round, VCs will pay attention, and if they are interested, they will undertake the project. For teams that have performed well in the competition, Microsoft’s innovation ecosystem will also Open resources and platforms, in addition to docking with more than 20 incubator platforms across the country, can also receive follow-up support such as internship opportunities, mentor guidance, and resource support.

To date, the Microsoft “Innovation Cup” has attracted more than 2 million students from 190 countries and regions. In China, the “Innovation Cup” provides a platform for incubation projects for more than 230,000 Chinese students. According to Microsoft statistics, more than 13 teams have started their own companies after the competition.

Since the launch of the “Innovation Cup” in 2003, Chinese students have also performed well on the international stage of Microsoft’s “Innovation Cup”, winning a total of 5 first prizes, 9 second prizes, 11 third prizes, and Several special awards. Chinese students also won the second prize in Asia last year.

▲ Picture from: Microsoft

Compared to other technology giants, Microsoft is willing to invest so much resources in student innovation. This is not only a Microsoft investment in the future, but also because Innovation has always been the root of Microsoft .

Microsoft’s investment has also given young people enough confidence. Like this year’s champion team’s AI composition project, it has nothing to do with their studies, but just to do it based on their hobbies and ideas.

Then we will have more ideas, continue to do it, and keep doing it.

This confidence allows more such young people to have the motivation to move forward on the road to innovation. Because they knew the tiny seeds in their minds, they started to have a chance to become a forest.