March 2023 Beacon

Chapter News (March 2023)

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Hong Kong Chapter 

Hong Kong IEEE CE/OES Joint Chapter runs the Young Engineer Conference (YE-22) at IEEE TENCON 2022

Reported by Paul Hodgson (MIEEE) and George Woo (MIEEE)

The CT/OES Joint Chapter in Hong Kong has been organizing Young Engineer conferences since 2019.  YE-19 was held in early 2020 and YE-21 in 2021.  And in November 2022, as IEEE Hong Kong once again hosted the AP regional conference TENCON, a STEM Student Conference – YE@TENCON was included as a part of the program.

TENCON 22 was held in November at the prestigious Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.  The STEM Student Conference took place on days 3 and 4 (November 3rd and 4th) of the main Conference.

Since we started the conference for secondary school students, momentum has been building in terms of number of presenters and schools involved.  Y-19 had 16 student presentations, and YE-20 had 19.   In YE-22, we had 100 students from 16 schools and organization participating, and they reported on 43 projects.

United Nations’ 17 Sustainability Development Goals

The STEM Student Conference at TENCON 22 was organized into two tracks.  A junior track (the Pre-University student Forum, aka PUF) only submitted an A0 poster for display and gave a live presentation, reporting on their projects on stage at the Conference.  A senior track (Young Engineers @TENCON, aka YE-22) in addition would also prepare a paper on their research projects for publication at ResearchGate.

The students worked either individually or in teams upto 4 members.  They select a topic or a problem of interest and carried out a scientific study and/or built a device to solve the chosen problem.  The selected project topic should be in-line with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainability Development Goals, and the students should apply advance technology to address the problems facing Humanity.

Notable PUF projects included AI based sound and motion detection to forewarn parents of possible SIDS, portable windmill for power generation, using vegetation as noise barriers, detection of people trapped in a fire site and microplastics in drinking water, addressing the storage needs for the elderly.  Highlights of YE projects included in situ removing of heavy metals from marine sediment, portable Pelton Turbine, and evaluation of Tritium batteries, and MicroBit powered weather stations.

Savana Chan, Charis Wong on Space Management

Subjects pertaining Oceanic Engineering included measuring fish density using underwater AI cameras, simple wave monitoring buoys, simple ways to real time monitor estuary river areas and detecting algae blooms (red tides).  Other Consumer Technology projects included the evaluation of Edison and microbial (mud) batteries as well as temperature based symbolic AI COVID detectors for schools, typhoon proof wind turbines.  Other presentations reported on studies in the general environment of Hong Kong, such as the deposits of Uranium and Thorium ore in the abandoned tungsten mine in Needle Hill, Hong Kong, meteorites in Hong Kong and evaluation on bio-degradable plastics.

All participants were issued with Certificates and Prizes were awarded for the best projects and best posters (the full list of presenters and topics and also the list of Winners on Projects and Posters are included later).

Event highlights:

George Wyatt on the Needle Hill Mine

Organizing TENCON 22 posed unprecedented challenges.  Hong Kong has just lifted its COVID quarantine for incoming visitors, but it was too late for most overseas participants to make travel arrangements.  And just as the Conference opened, a Typhoon struck, throwing further chaos to last minute preparations.  We only just managed to put up all the student posters for display.  Nonetheless the student posters displayed along the corridors leading the conference venue rooms brought a colorful angle to TENCON 2022.

Posters on display

The STEM Student Conference was opened by Joint Chapter Chair Dr. K.F. Tsang.  Dr, Paulina Chan, TENCON 22 General Chair, also gave a motivating opening address online.  Participants came from a broad spectrum of the Hong Kong Society, including those with international  backgrounds and teams from China.  Nearly half of the participants are girls and we also have many participants from ethnic minorities.

While the conference mainly addressed secondary students, we also have a talented young participant who is only 10 years old and presented on the detection of people trapped in a fire site.

George Wyatt on the Needle Hill Mine
Dr. Paulina Chan
Sam Arosti on Shing Min River runoff
Audrey Au, BiBi Aisha Ahmed on Microplastics in drinking water
Audience at the Opening
Lucas Wong on detecting people trapped in Fire Site

The project list

PUF Projects Name of project Presenter(s)
PUF 1 Railway energy consumption and service improvement Li Kin Wa 李建樺, Chung Cheuk Yin 鍾卓延, Chan Ka Yin 陳嘉賢, Ko Ka Ying 高嘉瑩
PUF 2 Turning Magnetism into Electricity Au Ying Hei, Ariel, Tam Chi Hin, Marco, Wong Ho Pui, Alvin
PUF 3 Effect on Temperature of Microbial Fuel Cell Lo Tsz Chun, Ricky
PUF 4 Bineaqua Lee Wing Hei, Hazel, Ho Wai Shum, Emma
PUF 5 Portawind 2.0 Fan Nga Shun, Li Chun Yik, Jessie, Wong Suet Nga, Cheung Hoi Lam
PUF 6 Water Monitoring and Purification System Chan Chun Hei, Angus 陳晉希, Huen Wai Tak, Donald
PUF 7 The investigation on microplastics in drinking water from tap and bottled water Au Yeung Shun Yu, Audrey, Ahmed Aisha Bi Bi
PUF 8 Wastewater ReLIFE Chau Man Qian, Chau Yat Chi, Lam Ching Yi
PUF 9 Effectiveness of the Iot water quality probe in analyzing river water Cheung Hei Yu Sabrina, Fung Yuet Kiu, Caron, Lor Tsz Man, Tiffany
PUF 10 Alleviating anthropogenic eutrophication through detecting bio-luminescence I Gede Surya Bhattarai, Li Sze Chai, Isaac, Poon Hong Ki albert
PUF 11 Un-spilling Oil Spills Wong Shun Wai Stephanie
PUF 12 Growing of good quality crops – soil monitoring system, Sanity Lam Joshua, Mak Ho Hin, Rylan, Kwok Yi Ching, Evians
PUF 13 Warning Rubbish Bin Ocean Kong, Sze King Tong, Clayton, Wong Lok Man, Jayden
PUF 14 Detection to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Serene Ng, Sam Hui Yin, Chloe, Law Tsz Yan, Winky, Chan Nok Yiu, Kathy
PUF 15 Space Management App with Space Optimization and Location Recall Functions Chan Yuet Wah, Wong Yan To
PUF 16 Protect our respectable firefighters and civilians Lucas Wong
PUF 17 Investigation on the Effectiveness of Vegetation in Noise Reduction Tang Marcus 鄧正浩, Lou Pak Yin 劉柏言. Lee Ching Hong, Marcus 利政匡
PUF 18 Simplified RAT test kit to reduce plastic waste Qin Bing Run Robin. Chan Man Tik, Li Yip Cheung Jeffery. Ng Siu Kit
PUF 19 UV Toliet Sterilizer Chow Cheuk Yee, Carlie, Iu Yuet Sang Prudence, Tang Cheuk Yee 鄧焯而, To Yuen Yin 杜宛燃, Yeung Oi Ying
PUF 20 Energy hydroponics Cheung Hei Lee, Hailey, Cheung Ka Ki, Kelly, Cheung Sum Wo, Joyce

 

YE Projects Name of project Presenter(s)
YE 1 Application of Heavy Metal Bio-mediating Bacteria in Hong Kong Waters SHEN, Winston Yuk Ting
YE 2 To what extent are there radioactive substances inside the abandoned Needle Hill Tungsten mine in HK? WYATT, George Robert
YE 3 Bio-degradable Bioplastic Isabel Lin, Arthur Zhang
YE 4 Intelligent Traffic light system Ng Tsun Kiu, Marcus 吳峻翹, Wan Pak Lam 温柏霖, Tsui Chi Tang 徐志騰, Wan Yu Yin 溫語嫣
YE 5 Portable Pelton Turbine in Hong Kong Qiao Lok Hei, Kyle, Wong Yik Ka 王繹嘉, Chan Clinton Denzel Pak Hei, Choi Shin Hang Ian
YE 6 Meteorites In Hong Kong WONG, Joshua Cho Ho, CHENG, Sze Ming Joshua
YE 7 Urban Water Runoff – Shing Mun River AROSTI, Samuel Mauro
YE 8 Water Quality Survey of Tai Hu Lake 董梓涵, 高淑雯, 褚庭艳
YE 9 ROV for cleaning Marine Garbage 黄熙媛
YE 10 Cost-Effective Arduino Wave & Current Sensor Agastya Singh, Wu Kiu Chun, Aidan
YE 11 Edison Battery Tony Pang
YE 12 Wind Power during typhoons Cheuk Fung Lau
YE 13 Simple COVID detector using temperature & AI suitable for school aged children Peter Wan
YE 14 Adolescent Bot Carolyn Yu, Julia Shaw, Samuel Lin
YE 15 How can we utilize a tritium light source in a battery Sean Tam, Mathew Li
YE 16 We Blow Bubbles Mathew Chung,
YE 17 Identification of boat type using U/W sounds Colby Lin
YE 18 Rescue lost Hikers through tracking cellphone Chan, Hubert 陳灝, Lai Tin Yui, Tristan 黎天睿, Lee Pui Wing, Adeline 李沛穎, Tso Ka Yu, Justina 曹嘉瑜,
YE 19 Smart Phone Holder 王怡捷, 王子玉, 陈怡可, 黄沐妍
YE 20 Fish Counting with AI to Determine the Effectiveness of Marine Reserves Daniel Park, Samion Suwito, Wu Shu-Hong
YE 21 Investigating Water Quality in Hong Kong LEUNG, Ping Thomas
YE 22 ROV for cleaning Marine Garbage 黄熙媛
YE 23 Micro:bit Weather Machine Jonathan YungYat Hei

 

List of Winners for Projects and for Posters:

Pre-University Forum

Best Project Awards:

1st Place:          Detection to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School

2nd Place:        Portawind 2.0 – St. Stephen’s Girls’ College

3rd Place:         Investigation on the Effectiveness of Vegetation in Noise Reduction – Diocesan Boys’ School

Best Poster Awards: 

1st Place:          Detection to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School

2nd Place:        Protect our respectable firefighters and civilians – Canadian International School Hong Kong

3rd Place:        The investigation on micro plastics in drinking water from tap and bottled water – SKH Li Fook Hing Secondary School

Young-Engineers (YE-22)

Best Project Awards:

1st Place:          Application of Heavy Metal Bio-mediating Bacteria in Hong Kong Waters – ISF Academy

2nd Place:        Portable Pelton Turbine in Hong Kong – St. Paul’s Co-educational College

3rd Place:        How can we utilize a tritium light source in a battery – Oceanway Corporation Limited

Best Poster Awards: 

1st Place:          How can we utilize a tritium light source in a battery – Oceanway Corporation Limited

2nd Place:        Micro:bit Weather Machine – Oceanway Corporation Limited

3rd Place:        Portable Pelton Turbine in Hong Kong – St. Paul’s Co-educational College

Judges Special Mention Awards

Pre-University Forum:      Protect our respectable firefighters and civilians – Canadian International School Hong Kong

Young Engineer-22:          To what extent are there radioactive substances inside the abandoned Needle Hill Tungsten mine in HK – ISF Academy

Mr. Wong Ming Yam

Special thanks and the YE-23

We are honored by and grateful to our judges.  Professor Joseph Orimolade from the Caritas Institute of Higher Education served as the lead judge for the YE track.  The lead judge for the PUF track was Mr. WONG Ming Yam, Honorary Fellow at the City University.

The IEEE Hong Kong Section sponsored and included the STEM Student Conference student conference as an integral part of TENCON-22.  Their overwhelm support is very much appreciated.

Prof. Joseph Orimolade

Special mention and thanks for those people who made the event happen, particularly, George Woo, Jacky Liang, Min Ng and Edward Wan.

For those interested the web site with all of the details: www.ieeeye.com

The next Young Engineer’s Conference will be the YE-23 and the tentative date is the 11th and 12th November 2023.  We have already started accepting projects for this conference and if anyone is interested please contact paulhodgson@ieee.org for more details.

Closing Group photo TENCON 22

Providence Chapter

The Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MRECo), the Bourne Tidal Test Site and the Marine Sensor Testbed

Reported by David Leslie, Chapter Secretary

John Miller, Director of MRECo, addressing the Providence OE Chapter at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

A technical presentation on the subject of “The Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MRECo), the Bourne Tidal Test Site and the Marine Sensor Testbed” was made to the Providence Section, OE22 Chapter, on December 1, 2022, at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA. John Miller, the Executive Director of MRECo, provided background on the marine renewable industry, some of its challenges, and explained why this facility will solve some of them. Prior to founding MRECo, Mr. Miller led development of ocean renewable energy for the University of Massachusetts.

The Bourne Tidal Test Site (BTTS), located in the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne, Massachusetts, is the only permanent test stand in the world designed specifically for tidal devices such as turbines. This partial scale test site allows a transition from testing in university tanks to full scale, avoiding some of the failures that have happened when deploying larger prototype turbines too quickly. Sensors can be tested economically on the co-located Massachusetts Ocean Sensor Test Bed (MOST). Experiments have been conducted there to monitor water conditions and fish behavior. MOST provides a secure, stable platform for cost-effective, long term sensor testing with continuous power and real time sensor data. With this facility, Massachusetts has positioned itself among the leaders in the emerging tidal energy industry, part of the Blue Economy. This is a young industry that has many challenges, but also opportunities.

A critical problem that the world faces today is that not enough energy is derived from renewable sources, and much of that power is intermittent. Historically, New England was built using renewable energy, from the wind that drove clipper ship transport, to the water that drove mills, to the unsustainable use of biofuel in the form of whale oil. In modern times the demand for energy has grown hugely. In the USA alone demand in the early 21st century was on the order of 4000 TWHr/yr. The resource available from wind, wave and tidal was estimated to be about 900, 260, and 110 TWHr/year respectively. But the predictability of each of those sources varies considerably, being hours vs days vs centuries respectively. Tidal energy is very dependable and suitable for the provision of base load energy.

Rigging up to test a turbine at the Bourne Tidal Test Site in the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne, MA, USA.

Mr. Miller reviewed several classical approaches to extracting energy from waves. Water driven “overtopping” devices funnel water through a device such as the Kaplan Turbine, while oscillating water columns can be used to drive air through Wells Turbines. Wave terminating devices contain stationary components, and components which move in response to the water. These devices may take the full force of wave motion. Point absorbers include buoys and flexible structures, which transform energy from their bobbing or bending motion. New approaches and commercial devices for extracting energy from waves and currents include surge capture (Resolute), pressure wave driven bladders (M3), wave and current driven cylinders (Arrecife) and cycloidal motion capturing rotational blade systems (Atargis).

For tidal power extraction a variety of underwater turbines have been developed. Some of these are helical foil systems oriented with horizontal axes, parallel to the flow, and others with vertical axes. Both open blade and shrouded configurations have been developed.

The critical challenge for all of these devices is survivability in the harsh ocean environment, and the research and development investment necessary to bring technologies forward follows a characteristic rising and then falling cost path through “technology readiness levels.” Costs are relatively low during the research phase of modeling and wave/flume tank tests. They increase through the development phase of partial scale ocean testing, where tidal and river turbines now find themselves, and they reach a peak in the demonstration phase of full-scale ocean tests. Costs begin to decrease during the subsequent deployment phase where technologies such as geothermal energy, offshore wind and biomass utilization lie, and are lowest for mature technologies such as onshore wind and hydroelectric power plants.

Regulations requiring environmental testing and governmental permitting contribute to the development costs of marine energy technology. The Bourne Tidal Test Site is a pre-permitted test site for mid-scale (3m diameter) devices. It provides a controlled, stable platform for testing turbines and sensors, with minimum wave interaction, no blocking that distorts fluid flow, and water velocities up to 2 m/s. The site is easily accessible and flexible in its scheduling and use. Similarly, the Massachusetts Ocean Sensor Test Site for marine instrumentation is stable and secure. Tidal flow through the canal insures variable water conditions.

Mr. Miller noted that there are a number of full-scale testing facilities around the world, such as PacWave for harnessing wave energy in the Pacific, and areas for extracting energy from tidal flow, such as the Fundy Ocean Research Centre in the Bay of Fundy, and at MeyGen in the Pentland Firth in Scotland. However, the case for early partial scale testing at the BTTS facility appears quite compelling.

Malaysia Chapter

IEEE OES – UMP STEM Carnival 2022: Underwater Robotics Workshop

Reported by Zainah Md. Zain & Mohd Shahrieel Mohd Aras

Photos during the event

The IEEE OES Malaysia Chapter has conducted an Underwater Robotics Workshop for primary and secondary students in the UMP STEM Carnival 2022 on the 5th of October 2022. A total of 60 students from various schools in Kuantan and Pekan participated in this workshop. In this workshop, the students were introduced with theory, concept and steps in the development of low-cost remotely operated vehicles (ROV).

Underwater Robot Challenge 2022

Underwater Robot Challenge 2022 was sponsored by the IEEE Pre-U STEM Grant. This challenge was held on 3 December 2022 at Universiti Malaysia Pahang, organized by IEEE OES Malaysia Chapter, Universiti Malaysia Pahang and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. The Underwater Robot Challenge 2022 had 2 categories: primary schools and secondary schools, where 5 teams from primary schools and 21 teams from secondary schools  around Malaysia have participated in the competition. This program also got the permission from Ministry of Education Malaysia and approved as National level activity for students.

Reported by Zainah Md. Zain & Mohd Shahrieel Mohd Aras
Winner (secondary school) – SMK Ulu Sapi, Sabah (above)
Winner (primary school) – SK Pelak, Pekan, Pahang(below)

The IEEE 9th International Conference on Underwater System Technology: Theory and Applications (USYS’22)

Reported by Zainah Md. Zain & Mohd Shahrieel Mohd Aras

The conference was held in collaboration with International Islamic University of Malaysia and Northwestern Polytechnical University, China on the 5th to 6th of December 2022. This conference aims to provide a platform for researchers, scientists, engineers, academicians, as well as industrial professionals from all over the world to share, discuss and disseminate their current R&D activities and experiences related to the field of underwater system technology, including relevant theories as well as applications. A total of 31 papers have been submitted to this conference. After the reviewing process, the best 26 papers are accepted for oral presentation which is organised in hybrid mode (face to face and online platform presentation). 2 keynote speakers; Prof. Dr. Ning Wang, School of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University and Prof. Dr. Huiping Li, School of Marine Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University presented their keynote in USYS 2022.

Japan Chapter 

The 5th Workshop on Scientific Use of Submarine Cables & Related Technology Hybrid

Reported by Harumi Sugimatsu

SSC workshop

We had the fifth domestic workshop on SSC (Scientific Use of Submarine Cables & Related Technology) in a hybrid style on the 8th of December, 2022, at the convention hall of the Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo.  In this workshop, we focused on the application of the submarine cable system to science, social implementation and commercial purposes.  Speakers and audiences, approximately 150 attendees, were enjoying a variety of talks and discussions. The discussed topics were as follows:

  • Future vision of utilization and application of geoscientific data acquired by submarine cable system
  • Development of N-net: Nankai Trough Seafloor Observation Network and Tsunamis
  • Application of CTBT International Monitoring System to Earth Science – Underwater acoustic observation by Hydrophone-Array
  • Development of ultrawide-area seafloor observation by undersea fiber optical cable
  • Tsunami prediction by assimilation of tsunami data using offshore submarine cable observation network – Case study of Hunga volcanic eruption
  • Flowing Data and Competing Powers: Dimensions of submarine cable security
  • Effective maintenance standards for prolonging the life time of armored submarine cables
  • Development of expandable flexible optical mesh network on the seafloor
  • Recent development and prospects for high-capacity fiber optical cable technology
Keynote Speaker Talk by Prof. Dr. Ning Wang,
School of Marine Engineering, Dalian Maritime University
Keynote Speaker Talk by Prof. Dr. Huiping Li, School of Marine Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University
The committee of USYS 2022
Hybrid mode conference (face to face and online platform presentation).

IEEE OES Japan Chapter Awards Ceremony

Following the SSC workshop, the IEEE OES Japan Chapter Awards Ceremony was held and moderated by Prof. Kazuo Ishii, OES Japan Awards Screening Committee Secretary.  IEEE OES Japan Chapter runs these three programs for students and young researchers to enhance their research and career activities.

  1. IEEE OES Japan Chapter Youngster Robocon Support Program Award in 2022. The program supports student travel to challenge the SAUVC 2022.  The winner was the “HIT-Robotics” team from Hiroshima Institute of Technology.  Jonghyun Ahn, a supervisor, and the team expressed their joy in receiving the award in a video message.
  2. IEEE OES Japan Chapter OCEANS Student Support Program 2022 (OSSP 2022). The program supports student registrations to present the excellent paper to the OCEANS 2022 Hampton Roads. Four students were certificated.
  3. IEEE OES Japan Chapter Young Researcher Award 2022. This program awards a young researcher who presented an outstanding paper at the IEEE OES sponsored conferences, OCEANS 2022 Chennai, OCEANS 2022 Hampton Roads and AUV2022 Singapore. Yang Weng was awarded for his distinguished work in the paper “Time Synchronization Scheme of Underwater Platforms Using Wireless Acoustic and Optical Communication,” presented at AUV2022 Singapore.

Details are on the OES Japan Chapter website (URL: https://www.ieee-jp.org/section/tokyo/chapter/OE-22/).  Hope we can have many excellent candidates for the programs in 2023.

From the talk “Flowing Data and Competing Powers: Dimensions of submarine cable security”
Discussions
“HIT-Robotics” team supervisor Jonghyun Ahn
“HIT-Robotics” team members
OSSP 2022 Winner Announcement
Dr. Yang Weng (R) receives the Young Researcher Award from WS chair Katsuyoshi Kawaguchi (L)

  United Kingdom & Ireland (UK &

Photo of stand shows (Lto R), Brian Horsburgh, Secretary, UK & I Chapter, Deborah Tudge, PCO Limerick LOC, Anthony Weir, Exhibit Co-Chair Limerick LOC

I) Chapter Share Stand at Subsea Expo in Aberdeen

Reported by Brian Horsburgh, UK & L Chapter Secretary

Subsea Expo 2023 was held in Aberdeen, UK, from 21 to 23 February. The organisers, Global Underwater Hub, provided OES UK & I Chapter with a complimentary stand space to promote OES membership. Secretary of UK & I Chapter Brian Horsburgh approached the Limerick OCEANS LOC to offer them an opportunity to share the stand and promote attendance at the upcoming OCEANS conference in Limerick, Ireland. Deborah Tudge and Anthony Weir, the Exhibit Co-Chair, attended the Aberdeen show and manned the stand jointly with members of the UK & I Chapter committee, Prof. John Watson, Prof Prabhu Radhakrishna and Brian Horsburgh.

A number of useful contacts for potential exhibitors, delegates and presenters were achieved by the Limerick team. Limerick is building on its 40 confirmed exhibit stand spaces; with active contacts they expect 50 exhibitors.  Projected attendance at the conference is at 600. The UkK& I team gained several new member contacts, and promoted information on other upcoming OCEANS conferences.