Four Mindanao schools make it to SWEEP finals!

Five of the top 10 entries vying for the grand prize at the 6th SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards come from four Mindanao schools.

In the running for the best wireless application in line with this year’s theme, ‘Empowering Communities through Wireless Technologies’, are Development and Field-testing of a Digital Agricultural Land Mapping System (Ateneo de Davao University), Development of a Fish Density Detection System for the Fisherfolk of Lianga Bay (Ateneo de Davao University), TimeFree that helps students maximize waiting time during tuition payment (Ateneo de Zamboanga University), Low-cost Microcontroller-based Mobile Home Automation with Bluetooth and SMS (Mindanao State University) and Channelize Election Process (Notre Dame of Marbel University).

The public is invited to view the working models of all 10 finalists at the A. Venue Hall in Makati City from February 5 to 6.

A team from Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) will also present two disaster prevention devices – one of which placed second during last year’s SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards and led to a collaboration between the university and Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) on using cost-efficient wireless technologies to help communities reduce disaster risks and respond to calamities.

ADDU and SMART are now working with the Davao City Government on integrating a search and rescue management system as well as a mini-weather station in the city’s disaster preparedness response program.

The two-day event will also feature a prototype of a low-cost intensity meter developed by Cebu City’s University of San Carlos under a first-of-its-kind government-industry-academe partnership between the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART), and SWEEP schools.

Under the partnership, at least 11 SWEEP schools have committed to help improve disaster preparedness by researching and developing low-cost intensity meters and participating in monitoring seismic activity to help augment data collected via PHIVOLCS’ existing seismic stations.

Other entries that made it to the finals of SMART’s annual search for the best wireless applications development among SWEEP partner schools are: SMART Voting for Cleaner Elections (University of St. La Salle-Bacolod), Water Supply Management through Wireless Technology (Holy Name University), SMART Bantay Barangay (Ateneo de Manila University), SMART Karwats: An SMS-based Anti-Car Theft Security System with GPS Tracking Capability (Batangas State University and S-Mart.com that promotes growth of community businesses in Pampanga (Ateneo de Manila University).

Final judging, which includes an evaluation of the working models and team presentations, will be held during the two-day culminating event. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winning teams, with equivalent grants awarded to their schools. First prize is PhP500,000; second prize, PhP300,000; and third prize, PhP150,000.

Also a much-anticipated SWEEP Awards highlight is the PalaECEpan Quiz Bee which tests the intellectual prowess of student contestants from SWEEP partner schools. SMART is hosting this year’s PalaECEpan together with the Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP).

Concurrent with the 6th SWEEP Awards is the finale of the 2nd Doon Po sa Amin (DPSA) Learning Challenge Awards. Participated this time by high schools under the Smart Schools Program of SMART, it recognizes the best local online content that promotes and helps in the development of local communities. Works of this year’s finalists will likewise be on display at the A. Venue Hall. There will also be a DPSA Quiz Bee to be participated in by representative teams of schools with top DPSA entries.

Making it to the finals this year are Barobo National High School for “Sumbada: Buhay Lambat” and “Davisol: Mga Likha at Pananampalataya”, Nueva Ecija High School for “Mathematics of the Tricycle City”; Batanes National Science High School for “Lime and its Building Power”; Naga City Science High School for “Tigsik: Pagsalingoy sa Lenguaheng Bikolano” and “Mike V. Padua: Pag-asa Kan Naga”, Science and Technology Education Center for “Binisaya”, Bataan National High School for “Mt. Samat: The Stand for the Fallen”, Agusan National High School for “Glimpse of the Long-lived Enigma”, and Maddela Comprehensive High School for “Sierra Madre: Peak of Life”.

As in previous years, the 6TH SWEEP Awards promises to be an exciting and fun learning experience for students. Aside from the showcased entries, guests can also check out interactive booth exhibits, join raffle draws and watch performances by their favorite bands.

The SWEEP Awards is held annually as part of the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP), an education initiative of SMART under its corporate social responsibility program Kabalikat.

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