Mapua wins best in wireless application

A TEAM from Mapua Institute of Technology is the grand champion in the 8th SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards, Smart Communication’s annual search for the most innovative wireless applications by students all over the country.

Their project titled “Wearable Obstacle Detection System and Braille Cell Phone for the Blind” stood out from the 142 entries submitted by Smart partner schools under the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP).

Mapua’s entry is a wearable device that consists of an obstacle detection system and a standard cell phone with Braille keypad.

The Mapua team received P500,000 cash during the 8th SWEEP Awards last Feb. 22 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

In his welcome message, Napoleon Nazareno, President and CEO of PLDT and Smart, acknowledged the schools’ involvement.

Second place went to Notre Dame of Marbel University with “Smart E-mobilized.” It makes use of an android phone and Smart’s wireless broadband technology to minimize the time and effort when buying tickets at MRT and LRT stations. Their team received P300,000 cash.

Bataan State Peninsula University (BPSU) secured the third spot with the “Aquamarine Solution to Salinity and Oxygen Using Wireless Technology.” The project was awarded P150,000 cash.

The schools of the top three teams also received equivalent amounts in the form of grants. The other seven finalists each got P30,000.

In the mobile application category, BPSU won for their entry “Palay Quality Checker through Leaf Coloration by Image Analysis.” The application is designed to assess palay quality through a mobile application using android technology.

The team led by Maria Crizele De Jesus took home P100,000 in cash prize.

Runner-up teams from Ateneo de Manila University and Ateneo de Naga University received P25,000 each. The theme for the 8th SWEEP Awards was “Innovation in the Palm of Your Hand.”

Also featured was the PalaECEpan quiz bee won by Timothy Amado from the Technological University of the Philippines–Manila. Amado received P40,000 cash.