Team Firecracker are national champs
TEAM Firecracker from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) were named the national champions of the #ShellSelamatSampai Varsity Challenge (#SSS Varsity Challenge).
The inter-varsity road safety innovation competition which kick started in 2017, aimed to challenge students from all public and private universities in Malaysia to develop technical prototypes or devices for safety intervention that can help reduce road accidents.
The winning team invented a Change Lane Alert Assist (CLASs), which is an innovative solution to alert vehicle drivers against potential head-on collisions.
“Winning this competition means a lot to us. It is an encouragement to further enhance our invention so that it gets implemented not just in our university but also across the nation.
“We believe that what we have created can help reduce road accidents,” said Aiman Afeeq Saliman Yurid, 23, who is part of Team Firecracker.
The winners received a certificate, trophy and a cash prize of RM10,000.
The other teams that competed in the finale were Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia.
These teams presented to a panel of judges comprising Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research senior researcher Dr Ahmad Azad Rashid, Higher Education Department principal assistant director Erina Ismail and Shell Malaysia human resource director Shazmi Ali.
Twenty teams were selected across public and private universities based on their project proposals.
Each team was given a RM 1,000 start-up fund to embark on an eight-week project implementation. At the end of the implementation, the participating teams submitted their final report and the best teams were shortlisted as finalists
With the theme “Powering minds of the future”, Shell Malaysia’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiative was back for the second consecutive year at the #mydigitalmaker Fair 2019 through the company’s collaboration with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
This year, Shell Malaysia’s STEM focused initiatives in education featured showcases on #MyGeekMovement and Shell NXplorers, the Shell Eco-Marathon fuel/energy efficiency prototype vehicle, the finale of the #SSS Varsity Challenge) and for the first time, the Shell Salt Water-powered Supercar.
The #MyGeekMovement and Shell NXplorers showcased Shell Malaysia’s STEM initiative where students completed their ‘sustainable living systems’ prototype invention using embedded Arduino and android mobile applications.
Additionally, the Shell EcoMarathon fuel/energy efficiency prototype vehicle showcased two categories of futuristic streamline vehicles that were designed to maximise efficiency in energy.
“Shell’s #MyGeekMovement aims to increase students’ critical and innovative thinking towards creating sustainable inventions for the future, while creating a pathway that will encourage them to become future engineers and innovators by providing them with the required skills and mentorship, “said Shell Malaysia Trading Sdn Bhd managing director Shairan Huzani Husain.
Also present was Shell Malaysia general manager, External Relations Nimmi Kamal.