Wireless system to control appliances, lights wins P1M

THE team from Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba bagged the grand prize in the 9th SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards, the annual search of Smart Communications Inc. for the most innovative wireless applications and devices by students.

“SMS.AWT: Switching and Monitoring System Using Android in Wireless Technology” is an Android mobile app that acts as a wireless system to control and monitor electrical appliances and lights especially when the user is away from home. Apart from conserving electricity, the wireless device also lessens the risk of fire-related incidents.

The same app was also hand-picked by Ericsson as recipient of the Ericsson Networked Society Award.

First runner-up was Tarlac State University (TSU) for its device, “SMART Helmet Engineered for Accidents and Disasters (HEAD)”, while De La Salle Lipa (DLSL) was second runner-up for its entry, “Systematic Market Application for Real-time Trading (SMART)”.

HEAD offers faster rescue operation to motorcycle accident victims by locating the accident area through the use of global positioning system (GPS) technology. It also gives automatic vital condition updates of the motorcyclist to his nearest relative, chosen police precincts or hospitals through SMS when the driver is in distress.

The device also allows recovery of stolen motorcycles. The Android mobile application of the device is primarily programmed to show real-time map where the motorcycle is actually located. It also has a “black-box” capability, which records all locations where the motorcycle has been through and can only be accessed with the user’s passcode.

Meanwhile, DLSL’s SMART is an Android application that allows the user to shop for groceries from the comforts of her home or somewhere else.

The mobile application allows the user to order groceries via his mobile phone and pay for them via the app’s interface. After the payment transaction is confirmed, the customer simply has to drop by the supermarket to pick their goods.

Three more special awards were given to Ateneo de Manila University’s Botika-On-The-Go, University of Southeastern Philippines’ Wordify: A selected Language Translator Using Digital Image Processing, and DLSL’s SMART.