The participants of three academic staffs and 23 students
University of Malaya (UM) won three out of five prizes at the National Assistive Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Technology (AR&TTs) Challenge Malaysia 2014 which was held last 30 June to 1 July 2014. Students undertaking the Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering (Prosthetics & Orthotics) alongside Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering programmes won the Third Prize Award, Most Popular Awards and Viewer’s Choice Award.
The Faculty of Engineering sent a total of nine teams during the challenge composing of five lecturers and 39 students. During the competition held in UTM, Skudai Johor, three academic staffs and 23 students were present and had actively participated with their eight innovation prototypes. The 23 students included five postgraduate students, two final year students, eleven third year students and four second year Biomedical Engineering students.
Among the eight innovation prototypes were Self-standing Turning Transfer Device (STURDI) which won the third prize. STURDI has been designed to ease the burden of both caregivers and users. The innovation does not involve any electrical parts and free from any electrical accident such as electrical shock. It also enables the user’s upper limb to support his weight without breaking. In addition to that, STURDI eliminates complicated procedure, ensure the safety of the users and cost efficient.
Other prototypes participated were Miniature Wireless Disposable Electrode for Pre Term Baby, Wheelchair Seating Training System with Alarm for Spinal Cord Injury Individuals, Simple Electronic Communication Board for Elderly, Home Use Shoulder CPM, Bioneer Hand, Modular Bed Escape Alarm System, Bio-Impedance Analyzer Diagnostic Tool, and Wireless EMG Instrumentation System for Low Back Pain Evaluation.
According to Dr Nur Azah Hamzaid from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the students enjoyed while reaping benefits of the whole experience.
“In essence, the experience was priceless. Students reported gain in terms of product design priorities, commercialization insights, networking opportunities and great fun.”
“We sincerely thank the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research & Innovation for the funding, opportunity and blessing throughout this venture. We hope that this support will continue for the benefit of a greater majority of our UM students.”
Assistive, Rehabilitative and Therapeutic Technologies (AR&TTs) Challenge is a focus challenge for social innovators/inventors who have novel ideas that do well for all.
The Assistive, Rehabilitative & Therapeutic Technologies [AR&TTs] challenge provided undergraduate students from Institutions of Higher Learning as well as professionals with an idea to help others the opportunity to develop creative and innovative prototypes of device, product or technology that have social benefits and improve the quality living of the elderly and people with disability [PWD].
Submissions must define a problem that these individuals experience and finds a solution. To facilitate, the organisers of AR&TTs Challenge collaborated with a number of health and voluntary welfare organisation to provide opportunity for better understanding of the problem and test-bedding. The organiser facilitated teams to visit these organisation and for organisation to share their “wish-list” to teams of up to four individuals. Thereafter, the team should work in harmony with these organisations to develop a prototype that demonstrates the best solution to address this problem.
The Third Prize Winner Team
