Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) recently named the winners of the Crown Prince CIPTA Award 2021 with Smart Fish System and Rubbish Rewards projects claiming first prize in the Local Category 2 and Smart Junior Competition categories.
His Royal Highness Prince (Dr.) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, graced the awarding ceremony on Wednesday in his capacity as the Pro-Chancellor of UTB.
The theme of the ninth installation of the CIPTA competition was “Innovations for Society 5.0”, emphasising multi-dimensional technological innovations to reach out to the needs of the global society, by addressing the 17 key elements of Sustainable Development Goals.
Six categories were contested in the competition which are Category 1: Creating New Product, Process or Technology; Local Category 2: Modifying Existing Product, Process or Technology; Local Category 3: Creating New or Modifying Existing Product, Process or Technology by Young Inventors; the Smart Junior Competition; ASEAN New Invention & Innovation Category and ASEAN Young Inventor Category.
Meanwhile, winners from the Local Categories in Category 1 and Category 2, and ASEAN New Invention & Innovation Category are eligible to compete for the Crown Prince Special Award.
However, this year, there is no recipient for the Crown Prince Special Award.
In an interview with The Bruneian, Dr Wida Susanty Hj Suhaili, a UTB alumni who co-led the Smart Fish System project said that the project is suitable for freshwater fish such as tilapia and sea bass due to its market demand.
“It took us six months to complete the whole project starting from research to assembling the equipment until the completion of the system. This is our second prototype already,” she said, adding that the target user for the fish system would be urban fish farmers.
Another factor to choose tilapia as the team’s product due to shorter maturity cycle and easier living requirements while in a poly tank.
The winning team of the Local Category 2 took home $6,000, a trophy and a certificate.
Other team members of the UTB alumni group were Roshartiney Hj Damit and Hj Ismit Hj Mohamad.
Furthermore, three students of Sekolah Menengah Berakas won the Smart Junior Competition with their Rubbish Rewards project.
The aim of the project, according to team member Mohammad Hashim Dzulkarnain, is to motivate people to throw trash into recycle bins.
“Our programme focuses on schools and so there will be three bins for paper, bottles and cans,” he said.
He added: “The rewards come in coupons or points, which we are yet to modify, and can be redeemed via our programme installed in an app.”
Other team members are Abdullah Hj Ahmad Yazid and Nuraqillah Ariffin and the team took home $1,000, certificate and a trophy.
In her remarks, Vice-Chancellor of UTB and Chairperson of the Crown Prince CIPTA Award 2021 Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah Hj Sulaiman said that there was 67 participation this year as compared to 41 from the previous competition.
Prior to the award presentation, a multimedia presentation was shown to the audience followed by the activation of the CIPTA trophy mechanism.
Meanwhile, Co-Head of the Technical Committee Pengiran Dr Rafidah Pengiran Haji Petra presented a summary of the Chief Adjudicator’s overall appraisal of the Crown Prince CIPTA Award 2021 entries and then announced the winning projects.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who is also the Patron of the competition consented to present cheques, trophies and certificates to the winners and recipients of consolation prizes in Categories 1, 2, 3, Smart Junior Competition, and ASEAN Category.
Before leaving the ceremony, the Crown Prince consented to interact with the winners who exhibited their inventions at the hall.
The biennial competition, which was inaugurated in 2005, has been organised by UTB with Brunei LNG as partner and sponsor.
CIPTA is an acronym for ‘Creative, Innovative Product and Technological Advancement’.
The objectives of the competition are: to inspire the youth and public to develop creative products, processes or technology for national aspirations; to encourage inventions and innovations; to recognise and award creative talents; to encourage research and development; to promote manufacturing processes and technological product development; to embed the culture of science, engineering and technology to the youth and public in Brunei Darussalam; and to foster collaborative linkages within Brunei Darussalam and ASEAN region.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were Minister of Energy YB Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mat Suny Hj Md Hussein; Acting Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr. Hajah Romaizah Haji Mohd Salleh; and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Brunei LNG Hajah Farida Dato Seri Paduka Haji Talib.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
