JOHOR BAHRU, 19 May 2015 – Team SPPL11 from Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) won the ‘Best of The Best’ Award at the 8th Innovation Competition held at the Centre for Student Innovation (CSI), Kolej Tunku Chancellor.
The group, comprising Qadratul Anis Faisol, Jahariah Munta and Suhaiza Shuhaimi won the award through their ‘Auto Sensor Iron’ innovation, which allows an iron to be turned on and off just by a touch.
This action was made possible through its Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) device that was attached to the iron.
The Competition was organized by CSI and was held with the aim of fostering a culture of innovation among students by providing a better platform for this community to highlight their creative ideas.
CSI Innovation Officer, Azizul Azman said the theme of the competition this time round was ‘Lighting, Society Improvement and Creative Gifts’.
“The theme chosen was based on ‘improvement’ for any equipment, gadgets or processes that facilitate chores or routine work.”
“By choosing this theme, students from different backgrounds and fields can participate in the competition, providing them with the opportunity  to think out of the box and develop innovative products,” he said.
A total of 12 professional juries comprising academic and non-academic staff with specific expertise assessed the innovative proposed products.  66 groups consisting of 251 students made it to the finals.
“In addition to the ‘Best of the Best’ Award, several other categories were also contested, like the ‘Best Presentation’, ‘Most Creative Innovation’, ‘Best Poster’, ‘Most Interactive Booth’, ‘The Best Dressed’, ‘Best Team Working’ and ‘Most Well Prepared Proposal’. Also contested were 6 gold, silver and bronze medals, “he said.
The award-winning ‘Best of the Best’ candidate was selected from the best among the group that won the gold medal.
The three winners took home a cash prize of RM700.00 and a trophy. All prizes were presented by the CSI UTM Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdul Rashid Husain.