LKC FES students awarded second runner-up at Intel Case Study Challenge

 

Susan Lee (left) and Ho (right)

UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) students Ho Wei Liang and Susan Lee Wen Hui were announced as the second runner-up winners at the Intel Case Study Challenge that took place from 9 to 21 December 2022.

The competition, which was organised by the Young Malaysian Engineers (YME) and sponsored by Intel, centred around the theme— Logistics Innovation. There were also three objectives that the competition aimed to accomplish; to understand and create awareness of embedding modern technology into the logistics field, improve multi-dimensional critical thinking, and cultivate problem-solving skills and engineering knowledge application. For this competition, the participants were required to prepare a proposal to suggest a headcount forecast system or process in warehouses that could be adopted to overcome the challenges while improving efficiency and reducing operating costs.

When asked about their team’s project, Ho said, “The proposal that we submitted for this competition was titled the Decentralised AI Warehouse Headcount Forecasting Modelling System. As you know, proper effective warehouse management is about getting the right goods to the right place, at the right time, and in the right condition. Looking at the biggest turmoil over the past two years, COVID-19 has led to multiple disruptions in warehouses’ operations due to the sudden increase in demand, from homebound consumers and headcount volatility to the issues in handling inbound and outbound inventory management.” He added, “Thus, Susan Lee and I, alongside our other team members, proposed a solution which involves the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) when paired with Intel products, which will increase the efficiency and accuracy of headcount forecasting. It will also help to reduce errors while optimising demand planning, both of which eliminate additional expenses while working with the same internal system.”

Ho also talked about their biggest challenge in participating in the Intel Case Study Challenge, saying, “There was a lot of competition during this challenge, and we were surprised to be crowned as second runner-up winners. It took a long time to perform background research and case studies on the topic since we were quite unfamiliar with the scope of the tasks and questions. Additionally, we only had around a week to prepare our proposal because other life commitments such as school assignments and exams. Thus, the division of labour and time arrangement was a huge obstacle we had to overcome.”

Finally, Ho expressed his gratitude to his team members and all the parties involved. “I am grateful to my team members for their confidence in me to lead the team. Despite the challenges we faced, we managed to quickly get together and complete the workable plan and attractive presentation slide. In addition, we are also very thankful to the judges from Intel for their appreciation and affirmation of our proposal. Lastly, on a personal note, I hope that more students can come out of their comfort zones to give themselves a chance to explore and learn how they can make a positive impact on our society and community.”

UTAR is proud of Ho and Susan for their achievement in the Intel Case Study Challenge.

Ho and Susan Lee’s team

Ho (top left) with his teammates