Computer science student places fourth at LA Hacks 2023

Photo of student holding a teddy bear.

Anuj Vadecha is pursuing a master’s degree in computer science and engineering.

By Marcene Robinson

Published August 11, 2023

Anuj Vadecha, a graduate student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, earned fourth place in the Cohere Company Challenge at LA Hacks 2023, the largest collegiate hackathon in Southern California.

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Over 1,000 participants, mentors, volunteers and sponsors took part in the annual, three-day hackathon in April at the University of California, Los Angeles. The Cohere Company Challenge—sponsored by Cohere, a company that works to help businesses incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into their products and services—tasked students with developing a product using the company’s AI models. 

As part of a four-person team with students from other universities, Vadecha helped design GPTeddy, a teddy bear outfitted with a microphone, speaker and various software that allows the toy to speak with children and parents to regulate conversations. The device could provide an accessible solution for families seeking toys that offer a personalized learning experience. A demo and description of GPTeddy is available online. 

At UB, Vadecha conducts research in X-Lab under Jinjun Xiong, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. He is pursuing a master’s degree in computer science and engineering.