A bold step towards future-ready education
Jamaica’s first self-driving hypercar and 3D AI teaching assistant debuts at Half-Way-Tree Primary School
Published:Wednesday | April 9, 2025 | 7:27 AM
In the heart of Kingston and St Andrew, a groundbreaking initiative is transforming the traditional classroom into a futuristic hub of innovation and empowerment.
Half-Way-Tree Primary School has officially become the first institution in Jamaica to debut a self-driving hypercar prototype and an interactive 3D humanoid AI teaching assistant – ushering in a new era of hands-on learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) education.
This bold leap into the future is part of a larger vision spearheaded by Principal Carol O’Connor Clarke, lead teacher Heather Quest Bennett, and software engineer Cosmos Bennett, through the school’s newly conceptualised Technology, Industry, Training, Artificial Intelligence, & Next-gen Manufacturing (TITAN) Centre.
$80 TRILLION OPPORTUNITY – PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE AI ECONOMY
The global AI industry, according to ArkInvest, is expected to generate an astounding $80 trillion in market value, even as reports like from the BBC, citing McKinsey, project the loss of 800 million jobs due to automation. Recognising this shift, Half-Way-Tree Primary’s TITAN Centre’s core mission is not just to teach AI usage, but to cultivate the next generation of AI creators and innovators.
Studies have shown that junior developers are beginning to lose critical thinking and troubleshooting skills due to overreliance on AI tools. To counter this, TITAN promotes AI building over passive AI use, ensuring that Jamaican students are not left behind in this global transformation.
PILLAR 1: THE BIRTH OF ‘AURA’ – JAMAICA’S FIRST 3D AI TEACHING ASSISTANT
On March 22, 2024, at Half-Way-Tree Primary’s Career Day, the nation witnessed the historic debut of Aura – Jamaica’s first-ever AI-powered 3D humanoid teaching assistant.
Developed by Cosmos Bennett and presented in collaboration with Carol O’Connor Clarke and Heather Quest Bennett, Aura represents the first pillar of TITAN’s educational framework: AI Software Usage and Assistance.
Aura lives on the desktop and interacts with students conversationally, making subjects like mathematics and data analysis more engaging and accessible. This AI assistant is not only a tool but a bridge between traditional teaching and digital innovation, giving students real-time help while exposing them to the technology driving tomorrow’s workforce.
PILLAR 2: BUILDING THE FUTURE – JAMAICA’S FIRST FULL-SCALE SELF-DRIVING HYPERCAR
Perhaps even more jaw-dropping than the AI assistant is the arrival of Lucciola – a full-scale, Jamaican-designed, self-driving fiberglass hypercar prototype.
Conceived and built by Cosmos Bennett and supported by Heather and Principal Clarke, Lucciola is not just a showpiece; it is a functional, hands-on learning tool. It offers students the opportunity to delve into hardware-based AI – an immersive experience where they can touch, build, and understand complex technologies.
Constructed with a lightweight, modular chassis and outfitted with a Jetson Nano computer, Lucciola utilises machine learning libraries (often used in RC cars) to provide basic self-driving functionality. Its Afro-Caribbean and Italian-inspired aesthetic was entirely designed using Rhino3D and Blender3D, further tying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education to art and culture.
Students can explore Lucciola’s origins, both physical and digital, by visiting icognium.github.io, where the fully interactive 3D model is hosted alongside videos of the prototype’s evolution.
BEYOND THE CAR: THE POWER OF ‘EMBODIED AI’
The hypercar is just the beginning.
Lucciola’s interior concept also includes an AI conversational assistant for real-world application – originally developed for a 10th generation Honda Civic and released as open-source software by Cosmos Bennett. This teaches students how to imbue everyday objects – cars, toys, books – with AI, promoting the development of viable Jamaican-made tech products.
The initiative promotes what experts call ‘embodied AI’ – a hands-on approach that helps bridge software development with physical product design, a philosophy endorsed by global AI leaders and adopted here with local flair.
DESIGN EDUCATION MEETS ENGINEERING INNOVATION
One of TITAN’s most ambitious components is its push toward full 3D design and manufacturing education. Through the Lucciola project, students not only study AI, but also learn to use tools like Blender3D and Rhino3D to create their own vehicle designs from scratch.
For those particularly driven, the programme encourages building their own low-cost supercar prototypes, blending digital design with physical engineering in a deeply rewarding learning cycle.
CURRICULUM INTEGRATION & SOCIETAL IMPACT
The long-term goal of TITAN and its initiatives is the formal inclusion of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning as examinable subjects in Jamaica’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) curricula.
By combining theoretical learning with engaging, real-world applications, Half-Way-Tree Primary hopes to deter classroom misbehaviour and increase focus, especially in at-risk groups.
Furthermore, this push aligns with Jamaica’s national agenda to stimulate local technology manufacturing, offering a pathway for students to become creators of exportable Jamaican tech, rather than mere consumers.
THE VISIONARIES BEHIND THE MOVEMENT
This initiative would not be possible without the shared vision of three key individuals:
• Carol O’Connor Clarke, the trailblazing Principal of Half-Way-Tree Primary, whose leadership has enabled the school to become a national model of futuristic learning.
• Heather Quest Bennett, an accomplished Grade 6 Mathematics and Data Analysis teacher with an MBA, who is bridging pedagogy and technology in profound ways.
• Cosmos Bennett, a software engineer with AI work featured by NVIDIA – a $3.28 trillion AI leader. His technical contributions to both software and hardware, and commitment to open-source learning, are helping lay the foundation for a new Jamaican innovation ecosystem.
A JAMAICAN RENAISSANCE IN TECH EDUCATION
Half-Way-Tree Primary’s TITAN Center is more than just an educational milestone – it’s a symbol of what’s possible when visionary educators and technologists come together with a clear goal: to prepare students not just to live in the future, but to build it.
As AI redefines economies and labour markets around the world, initiatives like these ensure that Jamaica isn’t just keeping pace – but setting the tone.
To see Aura in action or explore the Lucciola hypercar prototype, visit the iCosmos Neuroverse channel on YouTube or explore the digital showcase at icognium.github.io
To see Aura in action or explore the Lucciola hypercar prototype, visit the iCosmos Neuroverse channel on YouTube or explore the digital showcase at icognium.github.io