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ADDRESS BY MR BRUCE POH, DIRECTOR & CEO/ITE AT ITE-IBM ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY DESIGN COMPETITION AWARDS PRESENTATION CEREMONY ON WEDNESDAY 12 DECEMBER 2007, AT 1000 HOURS, AT ITE HQ
Ms Teresa Lim, Managing Director/IBM Singapore
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Introduction
1 Good morning and a warm welcome to the inaugural ITE-IBM Assistive Technology Design Competition Awards Presentation Ceremony.
2 This Competition marks yet another milestone in the ITE-IBM partnership, which began in December last year with the signing of the two-year Memorandum of Understanding between ITE and IBM on Community Outreach.
3 The partnership between ITE and IBM on community outreach has been a synergistic, win-win collaboration, right from the word “go”. Under the partnership, several programmes have been put in place, to give ITE students opportunities to serve the community through their technical skills using technology and programmes developed by IBM. This meaningful platform has gone a long way in nurturing ITE students into well-rounded, community-minded citizens.
The ITE-IBM Report Card4 As the ITE-IBM community partnership enters its second year, I am pleased to share with you our progress report on the community outreach programmes under the collaboration.
5 First, let me share with you the progress in the installation of WAT or Web Adaptation Technology, an IBM-developed tool. WAT has been installed by ITE students in Clementi Community Club as a pilot project, and has been a hit among senior citizens there, I understand.
6 With the excellent feedback from users, which include the elderly, visually- and hand-use challenged, we plan to extend WAT to benefit more than 500 users from Community Clubs, as well as to the Singapore Action Group for Elders (SAGE), and the Society for the Physically Disabled next year.
7 On the installation of Kidsmart Stations, which is an early learning programme for children between 3 to 10 years, students have assembled and installed some 60 KidSmart work stations in 40 schools and childcare centres island-wide, to help disadvantaged children who may not have computers at home. Once the targeted number of 100 KidSmart stations is reached, the programme would have benefitted some 4,000 children.
8 ITE students have also completed two runs of the five-day EX.I.T.E., (Which stands for Exploring Interests in Technology and Engineering) Camp, aimed at cultivating teenagers’ interest in Technology, Mathematics and Science. EX.I.T.E has had some 60 students from six secondary schools benefiting from this programme to date.
9 These three programmes represent a coordinated, coherent community outreach programme between an industry partner and an education institution, for the benefit of the elderly, the young and the physically- challenged, in areas that impact their lives.
A New Initiative under the Partnership10 In July this year, ITE and IBM extended the collaboration to include the first-ever Assistive Technology Design Competition. This Competition, I was told, has not only stretched our students’ ability to apply their knowledge innovatively and to think creatively, but also to walk vicariously in the shoes of the elderly and physically-disadvantaged, so that their products and innovations can improve the lives of these users.
11 I am proud to say that at the close of the competition in September, a total of 132 entries were received from the three ITE Colleges. The overwhelming response marks an encouraging start for our students to use their creativity and technical skills to develop innovations that impact the community. The enthusiastic response also reflects the innovation and caring culture we build into the ITE education, where students are encouraged to apply creativity, compassion and knowledge to bring ideas to fruition.
12 Among the entries, one invention which struck me as being very useful for the senior citizens is the “Padlock Key Alert”, an automated alarm system which reminds the elderly to remove their keys from the padlock to reduce the risk of burglaries to their homes. I think this is a very thoughtful idea. We have also received feedback from the jury panel that the inventions not only score high in innovativeness, but in practicality as well.
13 This morning, we will reveal the top winners among the ten finalists of the inaugural ITE-IBM Assistive Technology Design Competition. To the finalists, I would say that all of you are winners, for combining creativity, the technical knowledge and skills, to help the community in need. All finalists will receive cash awards with the top prize standing at $1,000. I believe your prize money will come in handy in your journey as innovators.
14 Moving forward, the next step is to seek possibilities for some of these devices to find their way into homes. We would welcome interested partners to join hands with us, to produce the items commercially for the elderly and physically-disadvantaged, thus enhancing their lives.
Conclusion15 On this note, may I extend my congratulations to all winners of the Design Competition.
16 I thank you for your presence and wish everyone an enjoyable morning.
17 Thank you.