Student team from Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thammasat University participated in “Innovation Competition in University Level 2019” in Thailand Research Expo 2019. It is the competition for presenting research work and technological innovation that can be applied to develop a country. The exhibition has been held since 2006 by Thai National Research Responsibility and National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT). This year, the exhibition was held on 7-10 April 2019 at Centara Grand Hotel and Bangkok Covention Centre, Central World. Invention from the fourth year SIIT Students won Gold Medal Award in Life development, art and design innovation and Silver Medal Award in Medical and Public Health innovation.
Gold Medal Award in Life development, art and design innovation is “Automatic Book Scanner” by Mr. Alexander Hewett, Mr.Jirayut Beermukda, Mr. Supawit Prukprathin and Mr. Panuwat Tanapornchinpong. Silver Medal for medical and public health innovation is “Patient Bed Weight Scale” by Mr. Pornskul Dulya, Mr. Phakin Hathaisirikul, and Mr. Thanatat Angsuprabha. Asst. Prof. Dr. Thunyaseth Sethaput, Chairperson of the Mechanical Engineering Program, SIIT is their advisor. Editor team from Thammasat A Monthly Journal has interviewed Mr. Alexander Hewett from “Automatic Book Scanner” innovation team and Mr. Pornskul Dulya from “Patient Bed Weight Scale” innovation team. We asked them about their original idea, working process and their feeling after they won an award.
Mr. Alexander Hewett informs us about the concept and working mechanism of “Automatic Book Scanner”. Currently, it consumes enormous time to scan the whole book because we have to do it page by page. It wastes time to convert book into E-Book in order to conserve old books. In the present, there are semi-automatic and automatic book scanner producer. However, in Thailand, we do not have producer and still have to import book scanner. The import price is high so we think of inventing book scanner that is low cost and easy to use. This automatic book scanner is used for converting the whole book into E-Book. It is convenient for readers to access to the information. Moreover, it is automatic so it saves time scanning book when we compared to normal scanner. This machine has automatic arm that is used to open the book. It has camera to collect book information and computer to process and compile information from the camera to make an E-Book.
Mr. Alexander speaks of his feeling after got the award that “I feel slightly surprised because there are other amazing innovations in the contest. After all, we are proud that we make SIIT and TU a great reputation.”
Mr. Pornskul talks about “Patient Bed Weight Scale” innovation that today, lots of patients cannot move from bed such as after surgery patients and badly injured patients. These patients need to be weighted for further treatment process including calculating drug dosage and measuring patient’s intake and output. However, measuring patient weight is complex and difficult to do. It consumes staff’s energy and time. Therefore, we create this invention to solve the problem. Our concept is to build weighing scale on bed and it is movable to other patient beds. It will be easy to use and save cost and time.
The mechanism of this innovation is the four tools that will raise 4 bed legs by using ratchet gear mechanism. The patient and bed weight will be on load sensor or the weighing scale that implemented to all 4 tools. After that, information will be processed through Microcontroller and the result will be sent to mobile application. We will use the information from application to find real weight od patient by deducting with the bed weight.
In terms of its advantages to user and medical sector, I think if we can effectively measure patient weight, patient will get treated accurately and safe. Currently, many hospitals have these types of patient and they cannot measure patient weight correctly and effectively. In medical sector, it is important to buy bed with measuring function. However, it is high cost and can be used to only one patient. Therefore, our invention helps save cost and it is movable to other beds.
“We also think of developing this innovation in the future. It is our first innovation so there are some defects that needed to be improved. We are currently in a discussion whether we sell it to market or deliver it to our SIIT juniors” said Mr. Pornskul.
It is such a cool idea from SIIT students. Both 2 teams apply this idea to make beneficial innovation. It is practical and solves the current problem. The innovations make it convenient to read book and weight patient in bed. It helps save cost and manpower’s time in hospital.