With artificial intelligence (AI) taking the world by storm, children in both urban and rural areas must be kept up to the latest technology.
Under the Tech-on-Wheels initiative led by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Curtin Malaysia Students Branch (CMSB), students from Bintulu and Limbang have recently taken their first steps into the world of AI.
From environmental sustainability to disaster prevention, over 40 students from SMK Bandarbintul and SMK Bandarbintul were responsible for developing AI-powered prototypes to tackle local issues, from environmental sustainability to disaster prevention, to produce projects ranging from smart waste overviews to agricultural tools.
According to a press release from Curtin University Malaysia on September 6th, the full-day workshop held at SMK Bandarbintul, focusing on this year's Young Innovator Challenge theme, “AI for Social Good,” will be held at SMK Bandarbintul.
In praise of the initiative, teachers Mohd Ikfan Hakim Mohd Fisol and Nurul Ain Jelanni of SMK Baru Bintulu pointed out that it could increase students' confidence and long-term interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“This experience goes beyond project development alone, motivates us to see future opportunities for technology and innovation,” they said.
Meanwhile, Limbang's Tech-on-Wheels initiative brought together 15 student teams from three schools: SMK Mendamit, SMK Limbang and SMK Trusan, and SMK Trusan students traveled quite a distance to SMK Mendamit, where the program was hosted.
Among the outstanding projects were pest monitoring systems that evolved from simple sensors to AI-driven object recognition tools, increasing accuracy and efficiency.
Fadlin Ilyana Roslan, a teacher at SMK Mendamit and STEM coordinator, said hosting the program gives participating students practical exposure to AI applications, and is rarely accessible in rural areas.
IEEE CMSB co-head organizer Diandra Emilia Winston added that the students showed incredible enthusiasm.
“With the support of our mentors, we have led them to rethink their projects with AI integration, and their creativity has exceeded expectations,” she said.
IEEE CMSB Advisor, Professor Gallentrim Kinghan, emphasized that the initiative held in Bintulu and Linban on July 11 reflects IEEE's mission to promote technology for humanity.
“Our focus is empowering rural schools with technical knowledge to enhance the technology supported by women in IEEE Industry Applications Association, engineering medical and biology society, and engineering.
