A team of talented students and their teacher from SMK Dato’ Razali Ismail, Terengganu, collaborated to develop an eco-friendly, solar-powered thermos named FOODDECK, which helps to maintain food in optimum temperatures. The thermos can be regulated through an app to keep the food free from harmful bacteria and avoid wastage.
Their invention garnered them the first prize in Samsung Malaysia Electronics’ Solve for Tomorrow 2022 competition in December 2022, where they took home RM30,000 worth of Samsung products.
The team, Dzalis Smart Ino, comprising Jasqmin, Nur Aim Umairah, and Putera Ahmad Danish Zaquan, under the mentorship of Che Norhamira bt. Che Mohd, fondly known as Madam Mira, was recognised for their innovative solution to one of Malaysia’s pressing issues in the health & well-being sector.
Team Dzalis Smart Ino emerged as champion for the Samsung Solve For Tomorrow 2022 Competition
Team Dzalis Smart Ino with all the other winners
Using Science to Solve Practical a Problem
The significance of STEM proficiency is growing rapidly in today’s world, and Solve for Tomorrow is a clear manifestation of Samsung Malaysia Electronic’s objective to help Malaysian students in broadening their STEM expertise and ultimately, pursuing a career in this field. “Each year, the ideas and resolutions put forth by our students continue to become more cutting-edge, and we want to congratulate the winning teams. These students are the future and have the right mindset in making the change we want to see in our society today,” said Dato’ Roh Jae Yeol, Director of Corporate Affairs, Samsung Malaysia Electronics during the Solve for Tomorrow 2022 prize presentation.
Madam Mira, who coined the team name by combining the school name with the phrase “SMART Innovation,” found out about the competition through the school management and conducted an interview session to select the team members. Following the selection of the talented trio with a penchant for science, they began to brainstorm on an innovative prototype for the competition.
Through their combined experience and observation of local businesses, they were drawn to help solve the problem commonly faced by many food stall vendors.
“Food stall vendors often face the challenge of keeping their food hot and in a hygienic manner for an extended period of time. FOODDECK was created to solve this problem as it is designed not only to have the ability to retain heat but to also store food in cold conditions,” the team explained.
The main challenge in designing FOODDECK came from time and cost. To circumvent the problem, Dzalis Smart Ino utilised a lot of existing and recycled materials to produce the thermos. “We have to sacrifice our time, use our holiday and stay at school until night to finish our prototype. But it was all worth it in the end!” they added.
Changemakers with a Passion
Winning the Solve for Tomorrow 2022 competition was just the beginning of the team’s journey as changemakers. Their goal is to further enhance the existing FOODDECK prototype and participate in other competitions at a higher level. To achieve this, they plan to make several improvements, such as modifying the design and adding a camera to monitor the food. Additionally, they plan to create more innovative products in the future.
“As changemakers, it is essential to have a passion for innovation. Through collaboration and utilising our creative minds, we can develop products that are practical and have the potential to improve the lives of those in need,” the team concluded.
