Institution news
This is a historic first for the country after previous competitions were held in Kuala Lumpur. Organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Sampoerna University Student Chapter (SUSC), the event welcomed participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore, along with IMechE representatives from the region.
Kicking off the event on 25 October, IMechE featured an inspiring guest lecture. The opening session, led by Prof. Dr. Ir. EurIng Ts Vinesh Thriuchelvam, Chair of the IMechE International Strategy Board, focused on innovations in smart cities and Kuala Lumpur’s vision for a digitally integrated, sustainable future. Dr. Vinesh commented, “Smart City has a correlation with urbanisation and climate change where both has to be important criteria to service the mass urbanisation population in a smart city development programme. As I had given a talk about the developments for Kuala Lumpur, it is exciting to see the rapid changes in Jakarta within the smart city landscape,“ reflecting on the role of smart city innovations in addressing urban challenges.
This was followed by Ir. Dr. Chua Yaw Long, Chair of the Southeast Asia Region IMechE, who discussed the evolution and future of electric vehicles (EVs), highlighting trends like wireless charging and vehicle-to-grid technology as vital to the industry's emission-free future. Dr. Chua remarked, “Electric Vehicles are making a comeback and they are here to stay. Everyone has a role to play and there is a need to work together to ensure the transition to EV is not jeopardised. We need to ensure EV technology will continue to improve and mature, to continuously contribute to achieving sustainable society” emphasising the importance of sustainable technology in transportation.
Following the lectures, the SOfE competition began on October 26. Pooi Ying, Southeast Asia Young Members Representative of IMechE, opened the competition with remarks on the importance of connecting technical knowledge with effective communication. “SOfE has consistently served as a platform for our talented Young Members to share their passion and demonstrate their presentation skills, which captivate audiences and effectively engage them with their technical ideas.” she stated, encouraging participants to engage meaningfully with their audience.
The participants represented their respective countries with insightful presentations on a range of engineering topics. Muhammad Bazli Taib Bin Awang Mahmud from Brunei delivered a talk titled "Where Materials Meet Motion: The Role of Tribology in Artificial Joints," discussing how tribology enhances medical engineering by optimising the performance of artificial joints. Christian Abipraya Keintjem from Indonesia showcased "Voltage-Divider-Based Talking Thermal Sensors," a thermal sensing technology that enables accessible monitoring for the visually impaired by converting temperature changes into audible feedback.
Additionally, Nilavarasen Subramaniam from Malaysia explored the societal and environmental roles of electric vehicles in his presentation, "The Rationale of Electric Vehicle Existence: A Comprehensive Perspective." Lastly, Christine from Singapore proposed a robotic inventory management system using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in his presentation, "Inventory Management for Perishable Inventory in Healthcare," aimed at reducing waste and improving efficiency in healthcare settings.
After a lively Q&A and careful deliberation by the judges, Christine from Singapore was awarded first place for her innovative approach to healthcare inventory management. Her robotic system, powered by a Raspberry Pi microcontroller, automated inventory sorting based on expiry dates, reducing waste and enhancing efficiency. This design addresses the challenges of managing perishable supplies in healthcare, significantly minimising human error. She will advance to represent the Southeast Asia Region in the prestigious Speak Out for Engineering (SOfE) International finals, set to take place in Turkey in 2025. Meanwhile, the second place was awarded to Chris from Sampoerna University for his impressive project.
Dr. Kushendarsyah Saptaji, the faculty supervisor for IMechE SUSC and an influential force behind the event’s organisation, shared his pride in the event’s success, stating, “As the organiser of an international competition at Sampoerna University, I am very proud of the student participation in this activity, especially the committee members,” about the value of hosting such a competition for Sampoerna University and the engineering community in Southeast Asia.