Teacher Lee with (from left) Nathanael, Yan Ru and Guan Yee show their certificates and gold medal. — Bernama photo
BANGKOK: A group of students from Bintulu, Sarawak have invented the ‘B-Beep’ – a Bluetooth pager to enhance the safety and security of schoolchildren.
The lightweight and simple communication device made using BBC micro: bit – an ARM-based embedded hardware system designed by the BBC – is a portable device that children can carry with them anywhere.
The trio – Ling Guan Yee, 12, from SK St Anthony (M) Bintulu and her sister, Ling Yan Ru, nine and Nathanael Lim Yee Ning, 10, from SJKC Kai Ming in Bintulu, Sarawak came up with the idea to ensure schoolchildren’s safety, especially after school or when attending tuition classes.
They won the Gold medal at Bangkok International Intellectual Property, Invention, Innovation and Technology Exposition (IPITEX 2020) and a special award, namely the Young Innovator Award from Singapore-based Citizen Innovation, in recognition of their creativity.
“B-Beep will prevent school children from being kidnapped, reduce parent’s waiting time as well as reduce traffic congestion at the school compound,” Guan Yee told Bernama.
Teacher Lee Siau Ken, who is also the mother of Guan Yee and Yan Ru said since mobile phones were prohibited in schools, B-Beep was an alternative device to ensure kids are safe after school while waiting for parents to pick them up.
“By using an application on their mobile phones that connect via Bluetooth, parents will alert their children using a buzzer when they arrive at the school compound, and the gate number (where the parents are waiting) will be displayed on the device.
“Their children can then inform whether they will be coming out now or later via the B-Beep buttons,” she said.
She added that the device would also allow school children to do their homework or revision while waiting for their parents, worry-free. B-Beep beat over 1,200 inventions and products from more than 20 countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, South Korea, Laos, Hong Kong, China, Romania, India and Indonesia in the invention and innovation competition held in conjunction with Thailand’s Inventors’ Day on Feb 2.
The Malaysian delegation comprising the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS) and Malaysian Research and Innovation Society (MyRIS) won 32 gold, 68 silver and 74 bronze medals in the annual exposition.
IPITEX is a platform for young inventors to showcase their untapped potential as well as gain in-depth experience and exposure. — Bernama