A Triumph in Sustainable Engineering Innovation

APU Engineering Student Clinches Second Prize in IEM Student Research Competition 2023

Shah Faisal, a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Honours student at the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), recently secured the Second Prize in the individual category of the prestigious IEM Student Research e-Poster Competition 2023, organised by the Marine Engineering & Naval Architecture Technical Division (MNATD) of the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM).

Shah Faisal (centre) sharing his joy with his Final Year Project Supervisor Dr. Mukil Alagirisamy (right) and Mentor Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sathish Kumar Selva Perumal.

The competition, themed around Sustainability and Integrated Engineering, attracted participants from various educational backgrounds, including graduates, undergraduates, and community college students.

The competition consisted of two demanding rounds. In the initial round, participants were required to create comprehensive research posters, detailing aspects such as the project's problem statement, objectives, methodologies, results, and the potential impact on improving sustainability.

Shah Faisal's outstanding work earned him a spot among the 10 qualifiers for the second-round competition held on August 26, 2023. During this round, participants presented their research topics before a panel of judges from IEM.

Reflecting on the fierce competition that brought together the brightest young minds from universities across Malaysia, Shah Faisal shared his exhilarating experience. "I was thrilled to discover that I had been shortlisted for the final round," he remarked. "The concluding face-off was an exhilarating experience. I had the privilege of presenting and defending my research topic in front of a panel of judges from IEM, followed by an extensive Q&A session."

Shah Faisal's winning research project, titled "Smart Health Monitoring System for Rural COVID-19 Patients," served as his final year project, guided by the expertise of Senior Lecturer Dr. Mukil Alagirisamy and Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Sathish Kumar Selva Perumal of the School of Engineering (SoE) at APU.

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The project comprised three pivotal components:

Health Monitoring Device: Designed to capture a comprehensive array of vital information, including body temperature, Blood Oxygen Levels (SPO2 levels), heart rate (BPM), room temperature, humidity levels, and even Mental Health Index assessment.

Solar Charging Station: Featuring dual-axis solar tracking technology to ensure the system's independence from the conventional power grid, emphasizing sustainability as a core principle.

Application: The main platform for displaying diverse vital readings to both healthcare professionals and patients. The application incorporated a pre-diagnostic analysis feature, enabling the interpretation of raw sensor data for a more insightful understanding.

The application also featured a robust database functionality, facilitating doctors' access to essential patient information, and a chat feature for seamless communication between doctors and quarantined patients.

For his outstanding contributions, Shah Faisal was honoured with a Second Prize and a certificate. He sees this recognition not only as a personal achievement but also as a testament to the commitment and collaborative efforts of his supervisor and mentor.

"It was surely a moment of immense pride and gratification," enthused the 22-year-old from Pakistan. "This memorable journey at APU has reaffirmed the significance of perseverance and determination in my life and has ignited a passion within me to continue exploring and developing innovative solutions to critical real-world problems and to make a lasting positive impact in the field of engineering."

Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sathish Kumar Selva Perumal commented on Shah Faisal's achievement, stating, "The recognition of Shah Faisal’s works has helped contribute towards enhancing APU’s competitiveness and reputation in research strengths among top engineering institutions."

Dr. Mukil Alagirisamy concluded, "Shah Faisal’s achievement also serves as a source of inspiration for his juniors in fostering a mindset of creative thinking and the pursuit of innovative solutions to achieve sustainable engineering goals."