i-CREATe 2009

3rd International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology, 22 - 26 April 2009, Singapore

IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009

Quick Facts

We would like to thank IBM for their generous sponsorship and support of the i-CREATe 2009 Student Design Challenge.

Online REGISTRATION for IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009 is now available HERE ! Alternatively, download the fax registration form and fax or email the duly filled form to i-CREATe 2009 at (65) 6743 0263 (fax) or icreate2009@start-centre.com. 14 Feb 2009: Submission of entries (extended !) 20 Feb 2009: Notification of accepted entries (extended !) NOTE: All accepted design competition submissions will be required to give poster and oral presentations at the conference. Download the 2nd Student Design Challenge brochure HERE and entry form HERE .

What is the IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009?

The IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009 targets to give our next generation a better understanding on disabilities and on how the use of assistive and rehabilitative technologies can help improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities. The inaugural SDC, with Human Machine Interface as its theme, was one of the highlights for i-CREATe 2008 and has drawn a large number of audience. There were over 21 teams from 10 institutions, from 4 countries who participated in this event.

The IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009 will focus on the creative, innovative and systematic application of technologies and engineering methodologies to meet the needs of people with disabilities and help improve their quality of life in areas which include education, rehabilitation, employment, transportation, independent living, and recreation.

Categories are, but not limited to the following:

IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009 aims at meeting three goals:

• Provide an opportunity for students to participate and demonstrate their problem solving and innovation skills in an international competition against their peers, in the fields of Assistive, Rehabilitation Technology.
• Provide i-CREATe attendees with refreshing perspectives on how the SDC teams from different parts of the world introduce innovative solutions for different disabilities.
• Provide i-CREATe attendees with a chance to meet future professionals in our area, and provide competition participants with an opportunity to network with experienced Assistive Rehabilitation Technology practitioner and professionals.

Competition Requirements

This challenge is open to post-secondary education and undergraduates. These include Universities, Polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education. Submissions are invited from all students at all stages of their academic studies.

There is no limit to the number of teams that may compete from any given academic institute and we accept individual and team entry (up to 5 students).

Entries or projects that will be submitted should not exceed two years of research. All participants must provide proof that they were students at the time the work for the challenge was conducted.

The student teams may bring their prototypes for presentation but this will not be considered as a requirement. Large prototypes that are not transportable will be taken into consideration during the judging.

Selected entries will be notified by emails and are required to register for i-CREATe at the concession rate of SGD 1,000 per team of 2 students. Additional students in each team will be charged at SGD50 per student (for up to 3 students). This rate includes lunch, tea breaks and full access to exhibition, workshops and conferences for the 3 day event. The top three winners of the competition will be invited to attend the gala dinner.

*7% GST will applies to all local entries.

Competition Structure

The competition follows a three round process. Each round focuses on communicating the individual/team's ideas through a different mode, as follows:

1. Individual/teams will submit an extended abstract between 600 to 1,000 words in length and include a minimum of two graphics (JPG/JPEG only at resolution rate of 800 x 600 dpi or better) describing their design solution. Expert reviewers will evaluate submissions to be selected to attend the i-CREATe conference.
2. Accepted teams will be expected to attend the conference with an A1 size poster outlining their design and innovation. Prototypes will have to be displayed together with the posters at the convention to a panel of Student Design Challenge Judges.
3. The finalists will be given 10 minutes oral presentation on their design to the panel of the Student Design Challenge Judges and i-CREATe conference attendees.
4. Based on the criteria below, the judges will rank and identify an overall winner of the competition, the two runner-ups, the two merit awards, the best presentation award and the best poster award. Other awards such as the peer's choice award, public's choice award, and industry's choice award will be decided by its respective groups (student teams, public, and exhibitors).

Judging Criteria

1. Creativity/Idea Novelty (30%)

   4	–	An ingenious idea/design to solve a genuine problem
   3	–	The idea/design is new, but there are probably better ways to solve the problem
   2	–	It is an improved version of existing designs/solutions
   1	–	It does slightly or no better than the existing designs/solutions

2. Practicality (10%)

   4	–	It can be easily accessible by the masses or brought to the market with little effort
   3	–	The design/idea is not difficult to be implemented in larger scale but possesses some challenges
   2	–	It may not be practical to implement it in a large scale given the constraints, but should do well in smaller scale
   1	–	There are major obstacles in making this idea/design work in real life

3. Implementation/Engineering (10%)

   4	–	The prototype is close to professional quality and/or has pleasing aesthetics
   3	–	It is robust and delivers its basic function(s)
   2	–	Workmanship can be improved but delivers its objective(s)
   1	–	Demonstrates only the basic idea

4. Usability/Ergonomics (20%)

   4	–	Intuitive and user friendly
   3	–	Need some efforts to learn to use, but easy to use after that
   2	–	Not difficult to learn, but not easy to master OR Difficult to learn, but easy to master
   1	–	Little or no consideration from the users' perspective

5. Impact on Society and/or Professional Practice (20%)

   4	–	It is revolutionary and might change the conventional practice
   3	–	It will make quality of lives of a fairly large group of needy people or professionals significantly better/easier
   2	–	It improves the current practices somewhat or helps a specific group of people
   1	–	It does not do much to impact the society/professional practice

6. Presentation (10%)

   4	–	Convincing, confident, and major points well delivered
   3	–	Clear in general but leave some doubts unanswered
   2	–	Key ideas are presented but somewhat unclear
   1	–	Poor presentation

Judging and Awards

A panel of international judges of different professional backgrounds will be invited to judge on the projects. All judges' score based on the judging criteria will carry equal weights and decision of winners need not to be unanimous. The panel will judge the project entries during the presentation session, followed by a tour to visit and assess the prototypes.

The judges will select the top three teams as well as two teams that deserve merit.

• Champion – S$2000 and certificate for all members
• Runner-up – S$1000 and certificate for all members
• 2nd Runner-up – S$500 and certificate for all members
• 2 Merit awards – Special gift and certificate for all members
• Peer's choice award – certificate for all members
  The award is to be decided by the IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009 participants. Each team is allowed to cast one vote on the most deserving team entry but cannot vote for their own team. The votes have to be casted at the end of the presentation session.
• Public's choice award – certificate for all members
  The award is to be decided by the public visiting the exhibition. Upon registering for the exhibition, each visitor will be given a voting sheet where they have to complete and drop into the voting box at the registration booth after visiting the IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009 booths.
• Industry's choice award – certificate for all members
  The award is to be decided by the companies participating in the exhibition. The voting sheet will be provided on the first day of exhibition. Each company will have one representative and will be invited to visit the IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009 booths and cast their top three choices. The voting sheet will be collected at the end of the day.
• Best presentation award – certificate for all members
  The award will be decided by the panel of judges based on the presentation part of the judging criteria.
• Best poster award – certificate for all members
  The award will be decided by the panel of judges based on the poster part of the judging criteria.

Intellectual Property

Kindly take note that i-CREATe will not have any involvement concerning Intellectual Property (IP) protection. Like other academic conferences or competitions, it is the participating institution's responsibility to protect their IP before disclosing their projects.

Student Design Challenge Entries

1. SDC-01 Bus Flagging System
   Muthukumaran Rangaswamy, Lin Liang,
   Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore
2. SDC-02 Mini Intelligent Terminal for Child & Elderly Fitness Development
   Ong Eng Piao, Leong Jian Jie, Ng Kim Heng, Peter, Koh Wan Fen, Josephine
   ITE College West ( Dover Campus), Singapore
3. SDC-03 The "Readable" Syringe
   Yan Lin, Li Ying Ying, Guo Jun
   Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore
4. SDC-04 Control the Prototype of Prosthesis Arm with EMG Signal
   Patinya Tipmabute
   King Mongkut's University, Thailand
5. SDC-05 An Automatic Page Flipping System for Disabled Readers
   Danuporn Prommin, Thanawut Thongdangkayasit
   Chiangmai University, Thailand
6. SDC-06 Tru-Light
   He Jia Hao, Jeremy, Tee Zee Ching, Joyce
   Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore
7. SDC-07 Shower Room for the Disabled and the Elderly
   Pakpoom Bhumimala, Arnupharp Martmoon, Anupark Martmoon, Supawadee Keawkum, Parimon Chutimakorn
   King Mongkut's University, Thailand
8. SDC-08 Bright Sight
   Rapeeporn Pimup , Pakaporn Thisayakorn
   Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
9. SDC-09 SmartGuide System to Assist Visually Impaired People in a University Environment
   Tee Zhi heng , Kong Jia Hao , Rocky Lo , Khor Ming Yeang
   The University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Malaysia
10. SDC-10 Portable Wheelchair Lifter
    Goh Yong Ren, Abdul Rauf Bin Abdul Rahim, Azhar Bin Ismail, Muhammad Norhafiz Bin Samsudin, Tan En Hui
    National University of Singapore, Singapore
11. SDC-11 Rotary Table for Wheelchair
    Hoi Ka Hou , Roy Nathan
    ITE East, Singapore
12. SDC-12 Sheltered Wheelchair
    Chua Yong An, Zulfadhli Zameer, Ivy Goh Hui Fang, Gwee Wee Siang
    ITE College West (Balestier Campus), Singapore
13. SDC-13 Semi-Power Standing Wheelchair
    Nirun Maipothi Anusit Srichanya
    Thammasat University, Thailand
14. SDC-14 Head Controlled Electric Wheelchair
    Lew Kee Wan, Chong Chun Ming, Xiong Qui Lin
    Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore
15. SDC-15 Multi-Purpose Wheelchair
    Muhammad Yusof B Sulaiman, Muhammad AL Matin B Sarjali
    ITE East, Singapore
16. SDC-16 Gripless Mouse for Rehabilitation of RSI
    Chan Jun Hong, Chua Hui Ling
    Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore
17. SDC-17 Health Care Monitoring Based on Wireless Sensor Networks
    Jirasak Raksachum, Sunisa Julrat
    Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
18. SDC-18 Foot Mouse
    Huang Zhi Xiong, Tham Jih Yew, Nur Ashikin Bte Mohd Daud
    ITE College Central (Tampines Campus), Singapore
19. SDC-19 Say It Aloud
    Eng Shu Xia, Goh Ying Wei, Berlinda, Ong Yen Ting, Aileen
    Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore
20. SDC-20 PolyEcomm
    Chen Xi, Li Hoi Man, Iu Hoi Yan, Ho Yin Ling, Chan Wing Yin
    The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
21. SDC-21 Adaptive Input Device (A.I.D)
    Sunny Neo, Chua Wen Chuan, Peng Jian Zhang, Randall Ong, Brandon Lum
    Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore
22. SDC-22 Throat Muscles Strengthening Device
    Lee Khai Ping, Alvin, Chen Wei jie, Eddie, Lee Yuit Woon
    Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore
23. SDC-23 VirtualStroke
    Chaya Chansmitmas, Wannaporn Dechpinya , Noppawat Sirinimnualkul
    Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
24. SDC-24 EZ Opener Woo
    Qi Yang, Muhd Farhan B Ahmad Washi, Muhammad Taufiq B Abdul Majib
    ITE East, Singapore
25. SDC-25 FantaStick
    Foo Hao Shen, Daniel, Mohamed Taufiq B Mohamed Noor
    ITE College Central (Tampines Campus), Singapore

Challenge Results

Fellowship of Inventors (FOI)

Fellowship of Inventors (FOI)'s mission is to tell people that inventing is for everyone and you can invent and be an inventor. They are a group of people who helps you learn how to bring your ideas into reality. Innovators, inventors and the community came together to exchange ideas, learn about how to transform and grow ideas into actual inventions and enterprises. Everyone can meet and learn from experienced people and inventors about their journeys of inventing and of building new businesses and enterprises.

Meeting on Commercialization by Fellowship of Inventors

This meeting will be held on Saturday 25th April 2009, 3:30pm – 6:30pm at Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Room 1.2, SMU. This meeting will consist of the introduction of the Fellowship of Inventor on what they do and the things essential to the commercialization of inventions. This will be followed by the presentation of the top three winners of the Student Design Challenge 2009. The winners will be presenting their projects in order and given ten minutes each. After this, the panel of experts, consisting of IP experts, entrepreneurs, investors, etc. will give comments and discuss with the audience. A voting will be done to decide which project has the highest potential to market.

The winners who will be presenting will be asked to prepare for the following:

• Value of their projects
• Competitive technologies already in the market
• How to market out their projects

All Student Design Challenge teams are encouraged to attend and participate in this meeting for learn more about the commercialization process.

Enquiries

For IBM Assistive & Rehabilitative Technology Student Design Challenge 2009 enquiries, please contact:

Ng Chee Kiat (START Centre)
49 Kaki Bukit View,
Kaki Bukit TechPark II,
Singapore 415973.
Tel: (65) 6743 0262
Fax: (65) 6743 0263
Email: kiat@start-centre.com OR sdc2009@start-centre.com OR icreate2009@start-centre.com

Copyright © 2006 - 2008. International Convention for Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology.
Images courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board and many generous and kind people.