Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has won Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) X IBM Lifesavers’ Innovation Challenge: Call for Code 2021 with an innovative solution that aims detects fire early during high voltage charging of electric vehicles (EVs).
This is particularly important with the expected rise in the adoption of EVs, which may result in a corresponding rise in risks of fires caused by high voltage charging.
Comprising students from Engineering, Design and Computer Engineering, the five-member team proposed using IoT, AI and automation to develop a smart EV charger called SEV Charger.
“Being able to hear other participants and teams’ ideas really helped us to look at different perspectives where we can enhance SCDF’s services to the public,” said Tan Wai Hong of Computer Engineering at SUTD. Other team members are Ong Xiang Qian, Jack Ng Guang Jie, and Ian Lim Li Ern.
The competition was organised by IBM and SCDF with Accenture as innovation partner. Through this challenge, local developers came together to create applications powered by open source technology on the cloud to tackle some of the community’s biggest problems.
In addition to cash prizes and IBM Cloud credits, the finalist teams are also receiving guidance from and consultation with technical experts and ecosystem partners to incubate, test and deploy their solutions.
The finalists include teams from National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, and SUTD. For the first time, teams from Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, and University College of London have entered the finals.
“Hearing from the talented youth on how we can challenge traditions and old ideas; we are very motivated and excited to see how these solutions will come to fruition and be applied to the real world in time to come,” said Teong How Hwa, Deputy Commissioner of SCDF.
“What we’re providing through SCDF X IBM Lifesavers’ Innovation Challenge: Call for Code 2021 is a catalyst to galvanise that community to take on specific societal challenges, as well as the open source-powered products and technologies to help bring their vision to reality. Through this powerful combination, brilliant ideas like SEV Charger can be transformed into the scalable solutions the world needs today,” said Tan Jee Toon, IBM Ecosystem Leader of Asean.
“The creativity and passion we’ve seen from the teams this year is testament to the innovative thinking today’s youth possess when it comes to tackling issues surrounding sustainability,” said Cade Tan, Applied Innovation Lead, Southeast Asia, Accenture.”
Photo: Smuconlaw
Entelechy Asia 