A team of 8 senior officials from the Ministry of Science, Technology, and
Innovation (MOSTI) was warmly received by UTAR President Ir Prof Academician
Dato' Dr Chuah Hean Teik and senior staff on 17 February at the Faculty of
Engineering and Science (FES), KL Campus.
Led by MOSTI Under Secretary (Biotechnology) Prof Dato' Dr Mohd Jamil Bin
Maah, the visit was to view the progress of the UTAR's Brain
Computer-Interface(BCI) wheelchair project which was awarded RM2.79 million
under the MOSTI Flagship Project of the respective ministry in 2012.
The project, headed by UTAR Department of Mechanical and Material
Engineering lecturer Prof Ir Dato' Goh Sing Yau is provide better mobility
to a movement-impaired person or motor neuron disease (MND) patients.
"Currently, there is no cure for MND. Some of the patients cannot even
speak. So this project aims to improve the quality of their lives," said
Prof Goh who gave a presentation on the progress of the project which has
already passed the initial key developments. A team of lecturers and
students did a successful "live" demo of the clinically pre-commercialised
prototype of the Brain Computer-Interface (BCI) wheelchair.
Prof Goh delivering his presentation
The team is now working on the miniaturization and fabrication of 20 units
of the pre-commercialised prototype in the next stage. Project Monitoring
Team leader for UTAR Flagship Project Prof Datuk Ir Dr Ow Chee Sheng added
that the research project is on schedule and expected to yield results soon.
UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato' Dr Chuah Hean Teik who was present
at the event extended his appreciation to MOSTI for their unwavering support
to UTAR's research projects. He also elaborated on UTAR initiatives to
expose its students to researches and development projects at the level as
early as undergraduate such as the UTAR Undergraduate Research Scheme.
Also present at the event were UTAR Vice President Ir Prof Lee Sze Wei, FES
Dean Prof Ir Dr Yow Ho Kwang, FES Deputy Dean (R&D and Postgraduate
Programmes) Dr Yong Thian Khok, and FES Electric and Engineering Department
Lecturer Prof Dr Chong Kok Keong.
A close shot of Prof Goh's passionate presentation
The demonstration of the BCI wheelchair begins
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