KUCHING: A drain water monitoring prototype created by team D-Boiz, a group of students from Lodge International School, has officially been adopted by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (Swinburne Sarawak) at a recent virtual launch event hosted by the university.
Present to launch the D-Monitor refined prototype were Yayasan Sime Darby chief executive officer (CEO) Dr Yatela Zainal Abidin; Swinburne Sarawak deputy vice-chancellor and CEO Prof John Wilson; Swinburne Sarawak’s School of Engineering deputy head Dr Chua Hong Siang; Lodge International School principal Matthew Wee; and team members Nicholas Chua Yan Zhen, Truman Lo Jun Wen as well as Rothman Lo Le Wen.
The D-Monitor, which won second prize at the Sime Darby Young Innovators Challenge 2018, is a device that could potentially assist local communities residing in low-lying areas to be better prepared for flash floods.
Equipped with multiple sensors, the device monitors the water level in drains and can easily identify parts of the drain which are blocked. It also sends data to the Cloud, allowing information on the water level of the drains to be assessed from any location as long as the device is connected to the Internet.
The construction of the D-Monitor prototype was made possible with an innovation grant worth RM5,000 by Yayasan Sime Darby, as well as getting support from technical partners Chumbaka and Swinburne Sarawak.
Launched in 2013, the Young Innovators Challenge is a youth innovation programme designed to help youth in Malaysia develop leadership and problem-solving skills.
Today, the competition is participated by more than 300 secondary schools involving over 5,000 students with more than 1,000 innovative projects.
Currently, it is hosted by Yayasan Sime Darby, and supported by the Ministry of Education with strategic partners Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Chumbaka, as well as 12 partner universities from all over Malaysia.
On another matter, Swinburne Sarawak is currently offering the Start with Zero Fees programme to new commencing students.
The exclusive programme is applicable for the October 2020 intake only and entitles students to a two-week free trial classes at Swinburne’s Sarawak campus where students have the opportunity to adapt and experience the university’s teaching and learning style. Classes for Foundation and Degree programmes commence on October 5 and 12 respectively.
More information on Swinburne Sarawak can be found by visiting www.swinburne.edu.my or its Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram (@swinburnesarawak), Twitter (@Swinburne_Swk), or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).
