Well deserved: (Far left) CREDIT tutor and the team’s mentor Krishna Ravinchandra, School of Engineering head Dr Siva Kumar (fourth left), APIIT Education Group and APU chief innovation and enterprise officer Prof Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam (fourth right), and Narendran (third right), posing for a photo with Jin Xiong (second left), Shuet Li (third left), Cajun (second right), and Jia Ze (far right).
To identify ideas that can help improve the quality of life for the elderly, Mahidol University International College (MUIC), Thailand, recently hosted the Service Solution Design Competition 2023.
The competition, which brought together nine teams from diverse backgrounds and countries, was aimed at devising the best service solution to enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of elderly patients. Additionally, these solutions needed to incorporate a feasible business aspect, aesthetic packaging design, and promotional value.
Malaysia was represented by Bachelor of Engineering in Mechatronics Engineering (Hons) students Cajun Tai Ka Joon, Ang Jia Ze, Yong Shuet Li, and Yip Jin Xiong from the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU).
Calling themselves Team Delta APU, the foursome’s winning solution involved developing an AI-integrated platform with a camera capable of tracking the daily activities of the elderly without requiring them to wear any additional devices.
The innovation, which can be readily utilised by elderly senior citizens, their caregivers, and geriatricians, bagged the second runner-up spot in the competition. Teams from University of Indonesia and MUIC were crowned champion and first runner-up, respectively.
Team Delta APU’s project was aimed at enhancing the well-being of elderly individuals through comprehensive health monitoring, user-friendly interfaces, and timely assistance during emergencies. Their innovative approach, which prioritised privacy and non-intrusiveness over wearable devices, resonated with the judging panel.
Besides taking home the 10,000 baht (RM1,311) cash prize, the students also gained valuable insights into effectively integrating business with engineering.
The event, which took place from Aug 7 to 11 in Nakhon Pathom province, Thailand, saw participants taken on visits to the Siriraj Academic Center of Geriatric Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, and a medical technology company for real-world case studies and field observations.
They also engaged in a design thinking simulation workshop and participated in the biodesign innovation session, which culminated in the pitching presentations.
The organiser highlighted the importance of understanding the challenges faced by geriatric patients and their daily needs. Each team conducted interviews with elderly individuals aged between 60 and 75, providing valuable insights, and were tasked with a simulation exercise, which required them to wear back braces, knee braces, ankle weights and gloves to simulate the experience of being an elderly person.
Cajun, the team lead, highlighted the competition’s eye-opening nature, emphasising the importance of incorporating a business mindset into engineering.
He said while engineers may have innovative ideas, success also hinges on effective product commercialisation and marketing.“Collaboration and teamwork were critical factors to our success. Each team member had a unique skill – Jia Ze excelled in hardware design, contributing to the implementation of the camera prototype; Jin Xiong specialised in the business and finance aspects, shaping the marketing strategy; Shuet Li demonstrated proficiency in both software development for the app design and business and finance for creating the prototype’s business model; while my strength was in software development,” said Cajun.
Congratulating the team, APU School of Engineering senior lecturer and Center for Research and Development of IoT (CREDIT) head Narendran Ramasenderan said the students showed great dedication to refining their engineering skills to address vital social issues.
“While they mastered deployment, prototyping and field testing, the competition offered comprehensive development through immersive business planning sessions.
“This equipped them with a robust understanding of business dynamics, creating well-rounded professionals ready to make a meaningful impact,” he said.
