Dubai: Making the lives of mothers who are always on-the-go easier was the aim of three Emirati students who came up with the idea of charging phones via strollers.
Meera Rashid Al Naqbi, Reem Salem and Aisha Rashid, all 15 years of age, showcased their invention at the second day of the Think Science Fair 2015 in hopes of winning the competition for the best innovation.
“We converted the kinetic energy of the stroller to electric energy that charges the phone. The electricity goes up to 22 volts, but you only need 5 volts to charge the phone. This means that even if the stroller is still, the phone will continue charging,” said Meera, who attends Secondary Technical School with her peers.
Reem said they hope that their invention will make life easier for people who are increasingly dependent on phones.
“This can also be done with shopping carts. Our target audience is mothers, we want to help them out because of the significant role they play in people’s lives,” Aisha said.
Think Science Fair 2015 is a three-day-exhibition, organised by Emirates Foundation, which is considered one of the biggest student exhibitions to showcase student innovations with the aim of sparking interest in science and technology.
The event has seen more than 550 university and school students exhibit more than 220 projects. Among them are Alia Al Kindi and Mariam Al Nuaimi, also aged 15, from Applied Technology High School.
“Our invention is keyless entry using the phone. Basically you can give each one of your family members a code and once they enter it on a keypad attached to the door, I get a text message telling me who is at the door. I can then send a code for the door to open,” said Alia.
Alia said their idea will allow people to know who is at the door and enable entry while they are anywhere around the world. She said their programme will also alert them with a phone call if someone forgets and the door is open.
“As Dubai moves towards becoming a smart city, I hope that my invention will transform the city to a keyless one. Our idea will also help people who lose their keys easily and those with disabilities,” said Mariam.
Maytha Al Habsi, Chief Programmes Officer at Emirates Foundation, said students who win from each category for their invention will be honoured by Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister.
They will also get sponsorship from Emirates Foundation to travel and participate in competitions abroad. The foundation will also offer the winners workshops and training programmes with the aim of inspiring and helping them grow in the field of science and technology.
Private companies and government department’s participation
In addition to stalls showcasing more than 200 projects by students, the three-day-event has 36 private companies and governmental departments exhibiting their innovations.
Among them is Etihad Airways, which was promoting career opportunities for Emiratis in the fields of engineering and flight operations at the fair.
The airline’s stand offered visitors the chance to experience what it’s like to pilot an aircraft on a flight simulator, and test the students’ flying ability.
Ducab, the UAE-based leading manufacturer of high-quality cables and cabling products, is also participating at the exhibition.
At the event, Ducab is showcasing how industrial solutions address real-world problems. Students from schools across the country have the opportunity to explore and understand the exciting career opportunities within the UAE’s innovation-driven industrial sector.
