2007香港中文大學校長盃 – 學生創新比賽
相信很多人都認為「抹窗」是一樣令人頭痛的家務。因為要把玻璃窗上的每個角落都清潔得乾乾淨淨是有一定的難道及危險性，有人因「抹窗」而墜樓的相關新聞更是時常出現。這些新聞報導，不但喚起一群年輕人的關注，而且激發起他們的無比創意，因此設計了一部自動清洗窗戶的機械車，名為「神窗手」。它不但可以自動走遍窗上每一個位置進行清潔工作，並可以同時清洗向室外及向室內的玻璃面。
香港中文大學工程學院的三位學生 – 劉振寧 (電子工程)、李檳成 (電子工程)、雷嘯嘯 (計算機工程) – 成功設計了這部「神窗手」，更贏得「2007香港中文大學校長盃 – 學生創新比賽」的亞軍。
「香港中文大學校長盃 – 學生創新比賽」是本校一年一度的盛大比賽，目的是希望同學透過比賽，學習運用他們本科的知識及發揮他們的創意。由於這個比賽接受不同類型的創新項目，故此每年都會邀請一班來自不同學系的教授評分，如數學系、醫學系、訊息工程系等等，希望可以全面地為同學的作品評審。評分準則主要是根據作品的創新性及技術轉換性。創新性是看參賽者的概念是否有創意，之前是否已有人發表了類似的作品。而技術轉換性是看看這個計劃的可行性，可否利用現今的科技來製成產品。
這個比賽共有四個組別，分別是本科生個人組、本科生團體組、研究生個人組及研究生團體組，每組分別設有冠，亞及季軍。每一個獎項都要經過評判團嚴謹的評分，認為作品達到了一定的水平才能選出。如果作品不能夠達到這個水平，即使是組別中最高分，也不能夠獲得任何獎項。另外，由於每一年參加比賽的組別眾多，而且大家都是來至不同學系的精英，所以我們的學生能夠脫穎而出，真是我們的驕傲。
除了獲得獎項外，設計「神窗手」的同學更有機會代表中大到天津參加第十屆的「挑戰盃」。這是一個全國性的比賽，今年參加的學校超過160多間，比賽的隊伍更多達600多隊，競爭相當激烈。中大已經在這個比賽中獲得「兩連冠」，當問到他們會否因此感到壓力，劉振寧同學回答對這個比賽充滿信心，不會感到壓力，並認為這是一次難得的學習經驗，相信過程中定必獲益良多，即使輸了也不會失望。
三位同學對科技研究充滿熱誠。其中兩位同學更是電子興趣學會的成員，他們分別是劉振寧同學 (主席) 和李檳成同學 (康樂)。他們坦言參加電子興趣學會可以把自己所學所想的概念實踐出來，提高了他們對科技研究的興趣。現在電子興趣學會致力研究MP3播放器、電子溫度計等等。最後，劉振寧同學鼓勵大家多參與這些有趣的研究計劃及不同類型的比賽，這不但有助提升同學對電子工程的興趣，更可以獲得寶貴的經驗。
Vice-Chancellor’s Cup of Student Innovation 2007
What is the most troublesome household work? I think most of the people would vote “Cleaning the windows” as the answer, because it is so difficult and dangerous to clean every part of the windows. There were incidents about someone falling from the building during window cleaning. These have raised the awareness of the youngsters and have stimulated their creativity. To tackle this problem, some students have invented a robot car for window cleaning. It is called “Windows XB”. Not only can it move on every corner of the windows, but also clean both outside and inside of the glasses at the same time.
The inventors of the “Windows XB” are three engineering students from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. They are Lau Chun Ning, Charles (Electronic Eng.), Lee Pan Shing (Electronic Eng.) and Lei Xiao Xiao (Computer Eng.). They did a wonderful job in the project that they won the 1st runner-up of the “Vice-Chancellor’s Cup of Student Innovation 2007 (VCCI)” in the undergraduate individual category.
The aim of “Vice-Chancellor’s Cup of Student Innovation 2007” is to encourage students to make use of their knowledges and develop their creativity. As there are many projects in different fields, such as mathematics, medicine, management, etc., professors from different faculties are invited to be the judges in order to have an overall and fair judgement. Besides, innovation and technology transferrability are two major criterions.
This competition consists of 4 categories. There are undergraduate individual category, undergraduate group category, postgraduate individual category and postgraduate group category. Each category would have the champion, 1st runner-up and the 2nd runner-up. Every judgement is conscientious and careful. If the project does not reach the standard, the prize would not be presented to them even though they get the highest score in the category. Therefore, we are so proud that our students won the prize in the VCCI.
Apart from the prize, the inventors of “Windows XB” have won the chance to be one of the representatives of The Chinese University of Hong Kong to Tientsin and join the “10th Challenge Cup”. It is a national competition with over 600 teams from about 160 universities, therefore it will be a keen competition. “I feel confident in winning this competition and do not feel stressful. And I think it would broaden my horizons. Even though I lost, I won’t feel disappointed.” said Charles.
The three students are full of fervour in technology invention, two of them are the committee members of Interest Club of the Electronics Engineering (EE Interest Club). They are Lau Chun Ning, Charles (Chairman) and Lee Pan Shing (Recreation). Frankly, they think that joining the EE Interest Club has raised their interest in Electronics Engineering as there are more chances for them to develop different kinds of project. MP3 Player and Digital Thermometer are just some of the developing projects. Finally, Charles encourages students to participate more in these kinds of developing projects and competitions. It would not only raise the students' interest in electronics, but they will also gain invaluable experience too.
For any enquiry, please contact Prof. Alex K. N. Leung (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
