กรุงเทพฯ--22 ม.ค.--Sugar Smart PR
The 2nd Thailand Innovation for Assistive Technology Challenge (2nd TIAT) aims to stimulate Thai students to come up with the new innovations for the visually impaired persons. Seagate Technology (Thailand) Ltd., sole sponsor of the project, emphasizes the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for Thai students as it is essential for the country's future R&D capabilities.
The 2nd TIAT challenge is set to be conducted during March 20-21, 2016 at the Foundation for the Blind. To enhance the skills of contestants and prepare them for the contest, Seagate Technology (Thailand) Limited collaborate with the Thai Robotics Society (TRS), King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTT) and the Foundation for the Blind in Thailand in organizing the student workshop.
Workshop activities include the talk by Mr. Raksak Chairanjuanskul, Director of the Bangkok School for the Blind titled "Current Assistive Technologies for the Visually Impaired and What They will Need in the Future" and the "Dark World Experience" group activity, in which participants are blindfolded and use their sense to categorize the objects they touched. This activity aims at to help them understand obstacle that the visually impaired have to experience every day.
Miss Sirirat Euaypadung, Vice President of Teparuk Operation, Seagate Technology (Thailand) Limited, said, "This is the 2nd time that Seagate sponsors such contest because we would like to offer young Thai students with great opportunities to make life a little more comfortable for the visually impaired. It also aligns with our goal to develop the new generations of skilled researchers and scientists who create great solutions for the public benefits. Apart from THB 2.4 million that Seagate support for this contest, our engineering team also took part in the contest itself by co-organizing and joining a judging panel in the contest."
"Seagate hopes that this contest will inspire Thai students to develop new innovations for those with impairments and not only as new prototype technologies but as realistic, reproducible items." Sirirat added.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sanya Mitaim, president of the Thai Robotics Society (TRS) said, "TRS would like to give a special thank to Seagate for a decade of continuous support for the innovative technologies contest. Apart from receiving a trophy from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and the cash prize, the winning team will also have a chance to join the 10th International Convention on Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology (i-CREATe) in order to learn and develop further on the international level."
"At present, there are 3 categories of the Assistive Technology (AT) including the AT for Low Vision, the AT for IT Accessibility and the one for Orientation & Mobility (O&M). And in order to make these AT favorable, the contestants need to develop devices with 4 certain characteristics which are Thai user friendly, affordable prices, great features and allow visually impaired to have access and benefit from IT as normal people do," Mr. Raksak Chairanjuansakul, headmaster of the Bangkok School for the Blind noted.
In order to reach out to the Thai society and leverage people's attitude toward the visually impaired, the contest organizers would like to invite students from the level of vocational to doctorate degrees nationwide to enter the contest. Each team must consist of 3 members and 1 advisor. Online registration and application are available at www.tiatch.com from now until February 29 this year.