Reported by: : LI Xiang
Photographed by: FENG Jian
Translated by: REN Shuman
Edited by: Jonathan Wylie
On July 15th, the first Harbin Institute of Technology-University of Adelaide Students’ Science and Technology Competition was held at HIT. Upon entering the competition site, one can observe software which is able to control the air conditioning, lights and heating switches, a robot which can automatically spell, a convenient and efficient Chinese character input method, and other works can also be seen in the site. The competition was held jointly with the First China-Australia University Summit on Teaching and Learning (CAUSTL). Students and teachers from the two schools communicated face-to-face in English.
The competition site was filled with panels and physical models, carefully prepared by participating teams. After the pre-primary selection of the two schools, 12 teams in mechanical and electrical engineering entered the competition.
"Through our smart home devices, computers and mobile phones can be used to observe temperature and humidity and control almost all electrical switches in home. A simple mobile application can make life easier and more convenient," team member, TIAN Si, said. Members of the smart home group introduced the work to review experts in English, while they showed their work. Although the team members fully understood the details of their project, it was still difficult for them to explain the project in English. TIAN was nervous, but this didn’t dissuade the judges’ keen interest in the project. They bolstered the confidence of the young man with an encouraging look.
"What’s your innovation?", asked Professor John Lennon from Adelaide University. "Our innovative use of the chain wheel and ratchet match make this device have the ability to use wind and water waves to generate electricity," answered the team members. "Then it can use the energy of wind and waves at the same time?" Professor Lennon asked. "Not yet, but this is the direction of our efforts, maybe next time when you come to HIT, we can achieve it!" the students replied. The judge laughed happily, "I'm looking forward to it."
WI Chinese input method was also one of the exhibits, based on the match optimizing of common Chinese vowels and consonants. "After the first initial was played, some tips of matched vowels will appear," the team members explained to the judges. One team member took out a cell phone to show the example of the Chinese character "Zhang". With common methods it would require five keystrokes, but by using the WI input method, two keystrokes make the character.
After judging, the work, Image Processing-Based Five Bands Cube Robot, by WANG Bing, LIU Rui and QIU Xiaoming from the School of Electrical Engineering and Automation and ZHANG Yichi from the School of Electronics and Information Engineering won the grand prize. FDM-based 3D printers and three other projects won first prize awards, and the remaining six projects won second prize. In the closing ceremony of the China-Australia University Summit on Teaching and Learning, President ZHOU Yu of HIT and Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice-President Pascale Quester of the University of Adelaide and other professors awarded the winning teams’ certificates.
The event is designed to train students’ scientific and technological innovation capability and broaden students’ international vision. The competition was planned and held by HIT and the University of Adelaide. Later competitions will be held alternately at the two schools each year.
Judges at the scene of the competition
Judges ask a participant questions
A participant at the competition
