Inspiring young minds: The IEEE CMSB community outreach team with students and teachers from SMK Bandar Bintulu and SMK Baru Bintulu.
WITH artificial intelligence (AI) taking the world by storm, children in both urban and rural areas must be kept up to speed with the latest technologies.
Under the Tech-on-Wheels initiative, led by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Curtin Malaysia Student Branch (CMSB), students in Bintulu and Limbang recently took their first steps into the world of AI.
Tasked with developing AI-powered prototypes to tackle pressing local issues – from environmental sustainability to disaster prevention – more than 40 students from SMK Bandar Bintulu and SMK Baru Bintulu produced projects ranging from smart waste composters to assistive farming tools.
The full-day workshop, hosted at SMK Bandar Bintulu, centred on this year’s Young Innovators Challenge theme “AI for Social Good”, according to a Sept 6 press release from Curtin University Malaysia.
Commending the initiative, SMK Baru Bintulu teachers Mohd Ikfan Hakim Mohd Fisol and Nurul Ain Jelanni noted its potential to boost students’ confidence and spark long-term interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“The experience goes beyond just project development; it motivates them to see future opportunities in technology and innovation,” they said.
Meanwhile, the Tech-on-Wheels initiative in Limbang brought together 15 student teams from three schools – SMK Mendamit, SMK Limbang and SMK Trusan in Lawas, with SMK Trusan students travelling a significant distance to SMK Mendamit, where the programme was hosted.
Among the standout projects was a pest monitoring system that evolved from simple sensors into an AI-driven object recognition tool, boosting accuracy and efficiency.
SMK Mendamit teacher and STEM coordinator Fadlin Ilyana Roslan said hosting the programme gave the participating students hands-on exposure to AI applications rarely accessible in rural settings.
IEEE CMSB co-head organiser Diandra Emilia Winston added that the students displayed remarkable enthusiasm.
“With the support of our mentors, we guided them to reimagine their projects with AI integration, and their creativity exceeded expectations,” she said.
IEEE CMSB adviser Prof Garenth Lim King Hann stressed that the initiative – hosted in Bintulu and Limbang on July 11 – reflects IEEE’s mission to advance technology for humanity.
“Our focus is on empowering rural schools with technological knowledge to strengthen digital literacy. Through Tech-on-Wheels, supported by the IEEE Industry Applications Society, Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, and Women in Engineering, we are preparing students for the future of innovation,” he said.
