KUALA LUMPUR: Drawing ideas from her time working in a daycare centre, a former part-time teacher invented Soapy, an educational toy that teaches children to wash their hands properly.Lim Zi Suen’s invention won the national level James Dyson Award 2023.
She received RM26,500 and progressed to the international stage, where she will stand a chance to win up to RM160,000.
The 24-year-old, who now works as a creative specialist in an interior design firm, said the inspiration behind the invention was the lack of adequate hand hygiene practices among children in a daycare centre where she worked.
“Children tend to wash their hands too quickly without proper guidance, leading to the spread of infectious disease among children simply caused by the bacteria from the dirty hands,” she told the media.
The international top 20 shortlist will be announced on Oct 18, and the international winners on Nov 15.
Soapy is sphere-shaped with a timer and indicator light. The scrubber is made of silicone rubber that will brush away dirt. It also comes with a press system to dispense foam soap easily.
Meanwhile, a group of four from Taylor’s University Malaysia became the runner-up for their invention, “Braillepad”, a 3D printed tablet for the visually impaired to revolutionise learning with accessibility while solving manufacturing issues.
The group comprised Ng Yong Pong, Alantino Raven Daniel, Shannen Kay Chan and Tan Zi Qing.
The James Dyson Award forms part of a wider commitment by the founder, James Dyson, to demonstrate the power of engineers to change the world. The competition has supported over 300 inventions with prize money.
The Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Foundation’s work encourage aspiring engineers and problem solvers to apply their knowledge to discover new ways to improve lives through technology.
