STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor player delivering patrons across the spectrum of electronics applications, besides being the world’s top MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) manufacturer and the leading provider of MEMS for devices meant for consumer and mobile applications, declared the winners of its University iNEMO Design Contest 2014. The declaration from its end clinches a year-long technology mentoring engagement with those of final-year engineering students from the National University of Singapore as well as The Nanyang Technological University. The students from their corresponding end were mentored by ST engineers in making use of the iNEMO MEMS smart-sensor module to be able to create prototypes of innovative plus original applications.

Giuseppe Noviello, Marketing Director High-End Sensors and Analog Division, STMicroelectronics, expounded the objective of the project, thus, “Smart sensor technology will significantly change the world we live in, from Smart Homes, Smart Cars and Smart Cities to Healthcare, Wellness and Fitness. Smart sensor technology is also a key building block for the upcoming major trends in Internet of Things and Wearable Technologies. It is therefore vital for young engineers in Singapore to get hands-on experience with world-class sensor technology.”

STMicroelectronics witnesses MEMS technology making available many “smart” features into verticals such as healthcare, wellness, recreation, navigation, security, and even industrial applications. The students participating in this competition were reinvigorated to be able to create applications in such areas that were not hitherto commercialized in the market. Consequently originality of ideas as well as practicality to real-life applications were factors given high weight in cherry – picking the winners.

The victor team involving Tan Sze Wei and Low Kang Jiang from the National University of Singapore developed a smart signaling vest for cycling enthusiasts riding their bikes at night. Sensors convert the rider’s hand signals into LED indications such as “turns”, “slow down”, “watch out”, “pull thru”, and “stop”, and will automatically stop indicating after the corresponding action has taken place. The champion team wins a SGD 10,000 cash prize awarded by ST.

The first runner-up team comprising Samdish Suri and Bai Xiao from the National University of Singapore advanced a gesture-recognition system braced with neural networks. The project from its barrio aims to create an open-source application for re-trainable gesture recognition that can be applied to various applications that entail the ability to be able to recognize more complex un-segmented gestures. The first runner-up team bags a SGD 5,000 cash prize offered courtesy; ST.

The second runner-up team involving Vivek Kamatchi Sundaram and Adeel Safdar from the National University of Singapore developed a home-based physiotherapy guide and monitoring device. This system allows recovering stroke patients to be able to carry out physiotherapy rehabilitation at home, guided and monitored by an iNEMO-powered device that ensures their exercise movements are carried out correctly. The device is also connected to the physiotherapist at the hospital. The second runner-up team bags a SGD 3,000 cash prize presented by ST.

All 13 contest participants stand as – final-year engineering students from the National University of Singapore and the Nanyang Technological University. Sponsored by STMicroelectronics, the contestants had access to ST’s iNEMO modules, technical support as well as financial support of SGD 500 per student for the purchase of 3rd party materials. Their submissions for the iNEMO contest were also part of their final-year project.

ST’s iNEMO is an exclusive evaluation and development tool that offers up to 10 degrees of freedom, coalescing 3-axis linear acceleration, followed by 3-axis angular rate, and 3-axis motion sensing through a magnetic field, alongside barometric/altitude readings, managed by an STM32 microcontroller. The integration of multiple sensors with processing capabilities, dedicated software, and wireless connectivity in a single platform facilitates leaps in functionality and performance in a wide-ranging array of applications.