It was the desire to help the physically-challenged communicate effortlessly that inspired the team from the Temasek Informatics & IT School to develop SmartScreen, a product suite comprising an application software, webcam, projector screen and a projector.

Senior students, Sunny Neo, Chua Wen Chuan and Peng Jian Zhang, under the supervision of their lecturers, Mr Lim Eyung and Ms Lock Hun Ya, from the Diploma in Cyber & Digital Security, developed a system that would allow users to interact directly with a screen using a laser pointer to ‘write’ on the screen.  By using advanced gesture-recognition software and character-recognition in their system, the team enabled users to interact in a more intuitive way with the computer.

Hence, the system is especially helpful as a communication tool for the physically challenged, who would greatly benefit from the user-friendly and highly accessible system. SmartScreen is the first product of its kind to offer a simple and cost-effective way to provide enhanced human-computer interaction.

For their efforts, the team members are now the proud recipients of the Tan Kah Kee Young Inventors Award (Merit) 2009. The event, jointly organised by the Tan Kah Kee Foundation, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) with the support of the Science Centre Singapore (SCS), aims to stimulate creativity amongst the young and promote scientific and technological research in Singapore. SmartScreen will be exhibited from 23 - 31 May at the Singapore Science Centre.

Team supervisor, Mr Lim Eyung, had this to say about the team’s  achievement:  “I’m happy that the team has recognised the need for better human-computer interaction, especially when the computer has become a ubiquitous and indispensable part of daily life, and that they have created a practical system to help those who have physical disabilities.”

Team member, Sunny Neo shared that the team was “happy and excited” over this achievement. He said, “We hope that the system could be commercialised and made available to all, to help improve human-computer interaction and enrich lives.”