Students of INTI International College Penang made a brilliant debut at the inaugural Laureate Award for Excellence in Robotic Engineering by taking the top spot in the intervarsity competition that showcases innovative talent and skills.
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 INTI’s winning robot. |
Toh Yi Feng, Kok Kah Seng, Chung Soon Zhi and Lee Joo Han created a computerised electro-mechanical robotic system to welcome, guide and provide multimedia presentations to visitors at Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM) in Spain, where the competition was held.
Utilising an indoor positioning system and linear quadratic estimation concept, INTI’s robot navigated and guided visitors to different sections of the campus while sharing background information and facts about the institution in a compelling manner. It beat other entries from Europe, the Americas and Asia.
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(clockwise from back row, left) Yi Feng, Bryan, Cynthia Lezama (International Office Program Administrator, Laureate Network Products and Services), Joo Han, Soon Zhi and Kah Seng with their robot. |
“This was an excellent opportunity to showcase the spirit of innovation and the potential of our electrical and electronic engineering students,” said Bryan Chong, Senior Lecturer at the School of Engineering and Technology, INTI International College Penang, who served as coach and supervisor to the students. “Yi Feng, Kah Seng, Soon Zhi and Joo Han were handpicked to represent INTI due to their keen interest and talent in mechanical design and programming, and I am especially proud that they were able to accomplish the task of developing an effective system within a short period of two and a half months.”
The team from INTI Penang will be invited to attend and present the robot in-person and receive the grand prize of US$20,000 at the 2014 Laureate Leadership Summit in Washington DC, an event that will take place in June.
Students of INTI Penang have done the College proud through their achievements in events such as the recent MOTO Innocup intervarsity embedded system software competition, and the Global Student Entrepreneur Award for young and aspiring entrepreneurs. Others such as Alyssa Ong who was presented the University of Kansas’s Undergraduate Research Award for study on a life-changing volunteer programme have done exceptionally well in their academic studies and in youth leadership.
Self-directed, motivated and independent learners are nurtured at INTI via an education that empowers them with cutting edge knowledge and abilities. Through an approach that incorporates international exposure, innovative learning and individual development, students develop in-demand skills that include critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and effective communication.
Students also experience new cultures and meet global peers through faculty study tours to countries such as Thailand, China and Australia and intercultural discussions with students of different nationalities via live video conferences. International case studies are part of the curriculum, with a minimum of one case study per course per semester. International exposure is a vital component of the courses offered by INTI to make the world an open classroom for students.
By virtue of INTI’s being part of the global Laureate International Universities network, INTI’s students have access to inspiring global events such as the Clinton Global Initiative which convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges, and Clinton Global Initiative University, a forum to educate and motivate young people to make a positive impact in the world.
For more information on INTI, please call 04-631 0138 / 06-798 2000 / 03-5623 2800 / 03-2052 2888 / 088-765701.