Ateneo de Davao ECE Team Wins in 6th SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards

by: Michelle Soledad

A team of students and faculty from the Ateneo de Davao University emerged as one of the top winners in the 6th Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP) Innovation and Excellence Awards held on February 5 and 6 at the A. Venue Hall in Makati City.

This year’s theme is “Empowering Communities Through Wireless Technologies”. Two teams from the Engineering and Architecture Division of the Ateneo de Davao University developed wireless applications that addressed the needs of two communities and made it to the top ten Finalists of the annual competition, accompanying Ateneo de Manila University as the other institution with multiple entries into the finals.

The “Development of a Fish Density Detection System for the Fisherfolk of Lianga Bay,” developed by Jade Kenneth P. Mausisa, Velvet Rose P. Oliva and Arvin C. Sumaoy and mentored by Dr. Randell U. Espina, placed Second to Holy Name University’s “Water Supply Management through Wireless Technology.” Ateneo de Manila University’s “Smart Bantay Barangay” placed Third.

The team received a cash prize of P300,000. A grant of the same amount is also awarded to the Engineering and Architecture Division of the Ateneo de Davao University for use in future research endeavors.

The second Finalist in the top ten from the Ateneo de Davao University is the “Development and Field-testing of a Digital Agricultural Land Mapping System” by Charlie O.Yu II, Jose Ma. Roberto C. Lainez and Antoinette Renata Marcelina D. Sutiana and mentored by Eduardo Descalsota, CpE. All the participating students are studying under the Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) Program of the Engineering and Architecture Division of the Ateneo de Davao University.

This year’s team duplicated the feat achieved by a team of ECE students and faculty during last year’s SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards. That project, “Search and Rescue Management System for Davao Gulf”, has spurred a collaboration between Smart Communications Inc. and the Ateneo de Davao University towards the development and utilization of low-cost wireless technologies to help communities respond to calamities. Engr. Charese Olmoguez, an alumni of the Ateneo de Davao University and one of the proponents of last year’s winning project, and Engr. Marloue Pidor, mentor of the project, presented two devices during the Awards developed by the Ateneo de Davao for this collaborative effort.

The Ateneo de Davao University and Smart Communications Inc. is currently working with the City Government of Davao towards the integration of a search and rescue management system and a mini-weather station for the city’s disaster preparedness response program.