Intel ISEF honors teens’ science
Winners of science competition announced
By Sid Perkins
PHOENIX — A self-driving vehicle brought its inventor, a 19-year-old Romanian computer scientist, the top prize — and $75,000 — last month at the world’s premier high school research competition. Ionut Budisteanu, of Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania, was the big winner at the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
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“This competition encourages millions of students worldwide every year to explore their passion for math and science while developing solutions for global challenges,” said Wendy Hawkins, the executive director of the Intel Foundation.
Budisteanu received his award for designing software to pilot a low-cost, self-navigating vehicle. His design relies on cameras to detect people, cars and other objects. Onboard 3-D laser radar measures distance to those objects. The software then uses that information to adjust the speed of the vehicle.