KUCHING, Mar 6: Designer of a prototype device called ‘Smart e-Saver’, Joseph Chung Ming Chong, received the inaugural Tunku Putra-HELP Young Innovator and Research Award today.
Chung, 18, who studies at Tunku Putra-HELP International School, designed ‘Smart e-Saver’ in response to children being left inside parked vehicles. The device uses thermal sensors that are attached to the vehicle engine.
“Once the car engine is stopped, the device’s sensors alert the driver to the presence of a child.
“This was designed in response to the horror of hearing child deaths caused by heatstroke after accidentally being left inside a parked car during a hot sunny day,” he said after receiving the award presented by Group Chief Executive Officer of HELP Education Group, Datin Chan-Low Kam Yoke.
He said the device will trigger a soft alarm sound if the child is left in the baby seat after the driver leaves the car and five minutes later it will send an alarm to the driver’s phone to tell them.
If no action is taken after 10 minutes, the device will trigger the car security alarm to alert passersby so that they can save the child inside the car.
“Lastly, the device also will send the car’s global positioning system (GPS) and the car plate number and its descriptions to the authorities in the police station and fire station for them to take action,” he said.
The prototype device had previously won a gold medal and defeated 14 other finalists in the national level of Sime Darby Young Innovator Challenge at Sime Darby Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur in 2018.
“I already patented the prototype device last January and welcome private sectors, especially baby seat or car manufacturers to commercialise the device to saves lives,” he said.
Chung said this innovation also sparked the interest of many in the international community and he was invited to attend the 3rd Global Ministrial Conference on Road Safety hosted by the government of Sweden held in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO) on 19 until 20 February this year in Stockholm, Sweden. —DayakDaily
