Solving a Research Challenge Using AI (India)

Deadline: 30-Sep-2026

The AI and Emerging Technology Society, Manipur (AIETS) and Advanced Research Consortium Library & Archives (ARCLA) have launched an open competition inviting AI practitioners, researchers, developers, students, and enthusiasts to solve a real-world research challenge using artificial intelligence. The competition focuses on the AI-Based Frequency Analysis of Old Meitei Mayek Pre-Printing-Press Handwritten Characters. Participants are invited to develop innovative AI-based approaches that can address the specific research challenge and contribute to the study and analysis of historical handwritten characters.

About the AI Competition

The competition is organized by AIETS and ARCLA to engage the wider artificial intelligence community in solving a significant research problem. Rather than focusing only on theoretical AI development, the challenge encourages participants to apply AI techniques to a specific research area involving Old Meitei Mayek pre-printing-press handwritten characters. The competition provides an opportunity for participants from different backgrounds to contribute their technical knowledge, research skills, and creative approaches to the challenge. What Is the Research Challenge?

The central challenge is:

AI-Based Frequency Analysis of Old Meitei Mayek Pre-Printing-Press Handwritten Characters The competition seeks innovative AI solutions capable of supporting the frequency analysis of historical handwritten characters associated with Old Meitei Mayek. Participants are encouraged to approach the challenge from an artificial intelligence and research perspective and develop solutions that can address the stated research problem.

Objective of the Competition

The primary objective is to engage the AI community in developing innovative solutions for the research challenge. The competition aims to bring together people with different levels of experience in artificial intelligence, including professional practitioners, researchers, developers, students, and enthusiasts. By creating an open competition, the organizers seek to encourage experimentation, research collaboration, and the application of AI to an important cultural and historical research problem. Who Can Participate? The competition is open to a broad range of participants interested in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Eligible participants include:

- AI practitioners. - AI researchers. - Developers. - Students. - AI enthusiasts. Participants can bring different technical and research backgrounds to the challenge, making the competition suitable for both experienced AI professionals and individuals developing their skills in the field. Opportunity for AI Practitioners AI practitioners can use their practical experience to develop an AI-based approach to the frequency analysis challenge. The competition provides an opportunity to apply existing AI knowledge to a specialized research problem involving historical handwritten characters. Opportunity for Researchers Researchers working in artificial intelligence, character recognition, language technologies, digital humanities, or related fields may find the challenge particularly relevant. The competition offers an opportunity to explore how AI can be applied to historical textual and handwritten materials. Opportunity for Developers Developers can participate by designing technical solutions that address the research challenge. The competition encourages participants to think creatively about how artificial intelligence can be used to process and analyze Old Meitei Mayek handwritten characters. Opportunity for Students Students interested in AI, machine learning, computer science, language technologies, cultural heritage, or related areas can participate in the open competition. The challenge provides an opportunity to gain practical experience by applying technical skills to a real research problem. Opportunity for AI Enthusiasts The competition is also open to AI enthusiasts who want to explore innovative applications of artificial intelligence. Participants do not need to be limited to a single professional background, as the challenge is designed to attract a diverse AI community. Why Old Meitei Mayek Matters to the Challenge The focus on Old Meitei Mayek pre-printing-press handwritten characters gives the competition a distinctive research dimension. Historical handwritten materials can contain valuable information for linguistic, cultural, archival, and historical research. Applying AI to such materials can create new possibilities for analyzing and understanding character usage and frequency. Role of Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence can provide computational approaches for analyzing large or complex collections of handwritten characters. For this competition, participants are specifically encouraged to explore how AI can contribute to the frequency analysis of Old Meitei Mayek characters. The challenge therefore combines AI innovation with a specialized historical and cultural research context. Developing an Innovative Solution Participants should focus on developing an innovative approach to the stated research challenge.

A strong solution could demonstrate:

- A clear understanding of the research problem. - Appropriate use of artificial intelligence. - A logical approach to character analysis. - Innovative technical thinking. - A research-oriented methodology. - Potential usefulness for analyzing historical handwritten characters. Interdisciplinary Nature of the Competition The challenge brings together artificial intelligence and historical character research. This creates an interdisciplinary opportunity involving areas such as: - Artificial intelligence. - Machine learning. - Character analysis. - Handwritten text research. - Language and script studies. - Digital archives. - Cultural and historical research. Participants can therefore approach the problem from both technical and research perspectiv