The College of Science ended 2022 with its annual Making and Tinkering (M&T) exhibition on 9 and 10 December, which showcased innovative projects from students in the CoS M&T course. The projects are a culmination of students’ efforts over the last semester to develop machines or technology that help tackle real world problems.
The course is open to students from various disciplines and gives them a chance to collaborate and contribute knowledge gleaned from their respective fields. Students are able to freely explore in their quest for solutions, are encouraged to take risks, and to see failure as a chance from which to grow further.
Held at the MAS Atrium in SPMS, the 2022 M&T exhibition featured projects from 17 groups, with builds that ranged from a cost-effective screw sorter to a device that uses a laser to deter birds, and from a 3D pancake printer to a buoy that collects ocean data.
Guests from companies like Google and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) were invited to come and judge the students’ projects alongside NTU faculty members. After two days of deliberation, the judges awarded the following projects:
Best Project: Plan Bee
A hand-cranked power bank that is designed to be sustainable and can be used anytime and anywhere, and is an ingenious backup for times of emergency where electricity might not be readily available.
Best Craftsmanship: Humpty Dumpling
This semi-automated dumpling making machine can load a dumpling skin into a holder, fill it with delicious goodies, and then close and seal it, ready for cooking.
Best Idea: OSAM
A device where users can lie face down on a massage bed and control a massage gun that is suspended above the bed. With the help of computerised controls and a camera, users can target specific parts of their backs without the need for another person to help.
Special Mention 1: The Graph Team
The team designed and built a machine that could produced thin layers of graphene from graphite via a process known as mechanical exfoliation. It helps to automate the graphene extraction process, which is usually a labour-intensive task.
Special Mention 2: Aqua-Agri: Stack-Stack
This is a modular, customisable crop growing machine that makes use of a hydroponics system and is designed to be space-saving. Its modularity means that users can change out different components of the unit, such as adding or removing air-conditioning components to regulate environmental control. Users only need to replenish or drain the water supply, leaving other cultivation tasks to the machine.