ESEG conducts experimental class on Artificial Intelligence and IoT.

Experts and professors Luiz Durão and Rodrigo Aquino presented the topics and their applications.

Last Wednesday (26), ESEG – Faculdade do Grupo Etapa held, free of charge and online, an experimental class on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things – Internet of Things or IoT in English – are related.

Professor Marcelo Dias, who also coordinates the Production Engineering course, opened the event by thanking those present and introducing the topics that would later be discussed by professors Luiz Durão (Master's and PhD in Production Engineering) and Rodrigo Aquino (Electrical Engineer with an emphasis in Computing and Master's in Machine Learning). 'Artificial Intelligence and IoT are very present in the daily life of the faculty, where we develop a series of actions in our students' undergraduate programs, encouraging them to participate in projects and use the LITE (Technological Innovation Laboratory) and LIA (Artificial Intelligence Laboratory) laboratories,' says Professor Marcelo. 

A relevant topic today, Professor Rodrigo Aquino began the class on Artificial Intelligence by addressing the importance of this technology for the job market and how professionals from various fields need to train themselves to keep up with its evolution. 'AI is not something mystical, nor is it the villain that will steal our jobs. In fact, they are statistical models in which algorithms learn from the data presented initially,' the professor points out.

Artificial Intelligence is being used in companies to solve complex problems, manage large data stores, increase productivity, and reduce costs through programming and the interaction between humans and machines. 'At ESEG, concepts about AI are taught in courses from the first semester, and we teach techniques and provide training on this technology,' explains Aquino.

As some examples of its application in professions, Artificial Intelligence can be used in the medical field for more accurate exams and faster diagnoses; in customer service and service providers, a robot can act as a secretary in doctor's offices, beauty salons, and other establishments; in Law, the technology assists in the review and storage of documents that were previously only printed, where files can be quickly and easily searched, old cases consulted, and laws reviewed.

The Internet of Things – or IoT – is here to complement AI and ensure better connectivity between the physical and digital worlds. According to Professor Luiz Durão, IoT is considered a major advancement in communication in recent years, stimulating a new base of applications in a broad field of research aimed at improving people's lives. IoT provides connectivity to everyday objects and requires certain features such as reliability, security, business viability, and mobility. 

Some examples of applications include smartwatches that monitor health and can alert doctors and family members if a person has an accident or experiences changes in their heart rate; in urban mobility, transportation apps connect passengers to drivers via the internet, improving transportation. 'At ESEG, we analyze the processes of connected cities in a broad way, managing to think of relevant ideas when talking about 'smart cities,' such as autonomous cars and the use of technology in public transportation. People can, before leaving home, check if buses or the subway system are experiencing operational problems such as delays or breakdowns, or even estimate occupancy and departure times from a point to their destination.'.

Before concluding the class, the educators answered several questions from the audience who attended the class, interacting via the internet – a technology so important that it was and continues to be extremely important while we are still facing a pandemic, thus proving that technological innovation, the Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence are here to stay and change the way we communicate and also our perceptions of the world around us.

Watch the full lesson here!