Mobile apps for bus and security management

Prof Chuah (left) and Ng Kam Sin, Chief Technical Officer, Recogine Technology Sdn Bhd

Since its inception, UTAR has always welcomed inputs, contributions and collaborations with the industry and fostered an information exchange approach that encourages its staff to work together with its partners and industry leaders in research development and the adoption of best practices.

Hence, UTAR was delighted when Ng Kam Sin, Chief Technical Officer of Recogine Technology Sdn Bhd proposed, developed and contributed two mobile apps for free to the University. To fine tune the development of the mobile apps, Ng met with UTAR staff to gather information on daily operations, usage, requirements and available resources. He then collaborated with UTAR’s Software Development & Multimedia Services Centre (SODEMC) and IT Infrastructure and Support Centre (ITISC) to work on the implementation of the two mobile apps named the UTAR Patrol and the UTAR bus Go. The UTAR Patrol is a security monitoring system which can be used to facilitate the live location tracking of campus security guards whereas the UTAR bus Go facilitates the tracking of the location of UTAR buses at both its Kampar and Sungai Long Campuses.

UTAR is indeed grateful for Ng and his generosity in donating the mobile apps to the university. He remarked that, “A facility’s physical security remains one of the most important features for all types of organisations. Security guards are commonly deployed to conduct routine patrols in providing the first line of protection. We have developed the UTAR Patrol app to monitor the position of security guards in real-time so that we can better respond to any security alerts by mobilising the nearest security patrol to the incident.” When queried about the reason for developing the bus tracking mobile app, Mr Ng replied, “With this app, the students can track the current location of the bus and the estimated time of arrival in order to plan their journey accordingly. Therefore, less time is wasted on waiting at the bus stop. This is particularly crucial for the early morning and late evening trips to ensure students catch the bus on time.”

Talking about the apps, Ng explained that, “They are apps that use the Global Positioning System (GPS). The apps transmit GPS data back to a server from which users can receive the real-time locations of the guards and buses. Throughout the collaboration with UTAR staff, industry knowledge and the use of Cloud technology were shared with the staff so that it brings meaning to them as well. During our discussions, we managed to understand the users’ requirements and programme them into the apps. We are also looking forward to improving the apps in future by incorporating some useful features such as barcode scanners, e-ticketing and online top-ups. My main purpose for collaborating with UTAR is to help and guide interested students and staff to gain some insight on developing and improving mobile apps.”

When asked on the reasons for choosing UTAR, he added, “First of all, I truly admire the spirit of UTAR, being a young and not-for-profit university, with a strong vision to seek educational excellence. It was during my visit to Kampar Campus while having a conversation with UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik on the development of the university that the idea came to my mind to develop these apps. With such vast campus grounds, the setting up of a good monitoring system is important especially on security. From there, the idea was first mooted. It took two programmers and two teams from UTAR for a period of six months to complete the apps. With this success, I hope to extend the application of these apps to other organisations in the future.”

On his advice to students, Mr Ng said, “Technology is changing so fast in the 21^st century and we need to keep track of the latest technology, knowledge and developments. My advice to students is to develop apps that contribute towards the welfare and progress of the society. They should think of gaining the experience and knowledge first before thinking of making a lot of money. It is crucial to keep themselves updated on new knowledge and do regular surveys and market research to keep up with the latest trends in technology and demands. It is my hope that the younger generation can contribute more to society by developing new, practical and useful apps in the future.”

Recogine Technology Sdn. Bhd. is an ICT enabling company that is passionate about delivering world class solutions in transportation and security, and in creating a smart city. It was founded in 2006 and became a leading solutions provider by innovating and delivering ground-breaking solutions and services. Headquartered in Selangor, Recogine Technology provides end-to-end solutions to customers in Malaysia and abroad. It is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to contribute to schools and higher institutions by offering sponsorships for R&D and internships for industry exposure in the hope of developing Malaysian talents.