PONDOSA team won Silver Award at 2021 UAiTED Innovation Competition

UTAR Software Engineering student from Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) Yeoh Zhao Wei was among the final winning teams at this year’s UAiTED Innovation Competition. The announcement was made by University Alliance in Talent Education Development (UAiTED) on 6 August 2021. 

This year’s competition, which focused on innovative solutions for the themes Healthy Lives (SDG 3), Education (SDG 4), and Ecosystem for Innovation (SDG 9 & SDG 11), referencing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), brought together 32 multi-disciplinary teams from different member universities around the globe. 

Each of the participating teams consisted of several students coming from different universities. They were required to identify any potential or existing problems of the selected theme and propose solutions that include any emerging technologies and novel business models to support future commercialisation.

Yeoh was one of the team members from PONDOSA who won the Silver Award for their portable device and walked away with USD3,500. He and his four team members who were from Taiwan’s Cheng Kung University designed a portable device for patients suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) with CPAP-like treatment. 

Yeoh said, “I am earnestly grateful for the recognition that I have received for my work because I am sure that every other nominee of this award deserved to win this too. As a team, we faced several challenges on our way here, but we made it through by brainstorming ideas among one another and seeking advice from the professionals. Winning this sliver award would have not been possible without the inspiration I received from my tutor and my colleagues, for whom I have the most profound respect and from whom I have derived the strength to challenge myself and perform better at each stage.”

He expressed his appreciation to the organiser UAiTED for helping him reach a stage where he can proudly hold up this award as a mark of his achievement. He also thanked UTAR for giving him the opportunity to take part in the competition, as well as his beloved family members who always believed in him and supported him.

He said, “This award is a token for all my efforts in my team. Without my teammates, things would have not gone so well. The best part of the competition after the intense investigation by the jury was choosing us as the winner for this award. By having this award in our cabin, we will be more motivated to do our best. This is a token of our previous endeavours and is also a motivation for our future efforts.”

He added, “Working together and seeing such beautiful results are truly remarkable. Next time, I hope to be the champion and make my country and UTAR proud.”

UAiTED is a strategic network of academic, profit and nonprofit professional associations and organisations that are committed to assisting in the preparation, promotion, and professional development of future talents. The two objectives of the 2021 UAiTED Innovation Competition are to leverage high-tech innovation to facilitate ideas and solutions for problems related to some categories in the 17 UN SDGs, and facilitate cross-regional, multicultural and interdisciplinary global talent development.