Student Design Challenge @ 4th i -CREATe 2010

A novel solution "Save Our Souls (SOS)" by 2 Diploma in Electronics, Computer & Communications graduates (Class 2010), Chin Soo Wen and Phyu Hpone Mo Khant , under the supervision of staff Mr Wong Chee Chein from Embedded Technology Centre - School of Engineering, won the Silver Award at the 4th i-CREATe (International Convention for Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology) 2010 Student Design Challenge in Shanghai, China.

Silver Award “Save our Souls (SOS)"

This year’s competition attracted 34 teams from 20 universities, polytechnics and institutes of technical education from 4 countries.

Each team had to invent and develop creative and innovative applications of technologies to meet the needs of people with disabilities and help improve their quality of life. These include areas of education, rehabilitation, employment, transportation, independent living, and recreation.

Our team from SEG impressed the judges with their invention for the hearing impaired called “Save our Souls (SOS).” It is a small portable device that enables its users to "listen" to emergency warning sounds and alert them of potential dangers, both indoors and outdoors. It is based on a patent filed by SEG(E) for a system and method that detects environmental sound-based warning signals.

The winning team: (from left) Phyu Hpone Mo Khant, Chin Soo Wen and Wong Chee Chein

Said Phyu : "Existing life-saver products such as the smoke detector, gas detector and fire-alarm with flashing strobe lights are usually built into infrastructures and used indoors. This new device, however, will be able to help the hearing impaired to detect dangers outdoors. For example, it could alert the hearing impaired of the sound of a car horn, indicating danger ahead."

Soo Wen added “When this device detects the car horn, a vibrator and a LED in the SOS system will be activated to alert the user of the danger. The device has a sound detection algorithm that can detect sirens, car horn and fire alarms that are 80 decibels or higher from a distance of 10 meters in a noisy environment. It can further be programmed to detect more emergency sounds.”

“While sound pattern detection technology is not new and has been applied in niche applications like siren detection in vehicles and voice controlled systems, it is usually not common in assistive and rehabilitation products” said Phyu.

Before leaving for Shanghai, the team consulted members of the Singapore Association For the Deaf on its usage and usability. They received good feedback on their invention. So it was no surprise that they managed to impress the judges as well as delegates at the i-Create convention.

The team won US$700 and was awarded a certificate of achievement for this novel invention. Exploration on how to incorporate the technology onto more lifestyle watches, bracelets and personal digital devices is already on going..