Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow invites STEM students to propose tech solutions for social impact

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Launched for the first time in the Philippines, Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow aims to unleash the creativity and potential of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students in discovering social solutions with the use of technology. In partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Solve for Tomorrow aims to provide opportunities for top students to transform emerging ideas into action and unlock their full potential as future leaders. This global program has successfully helped over 2 million people and has reached beyond the boundaries of 50 other countries, including the Philippines, as the latest addition this 2023.

Samsung is inviting public science high school students from Grades 8 to 10 to showcase their groundbreaking ideas that can positively impact communities and create a better tomorrow. Participating schools can form teams with a maximum of four (4) students and one (1) faculty advisor for every entry. There will be no limit to how many teams can join per school.

The team should identify a local community or an environmental sustainability problem and provide a design proposal outlining sustainable and feasible solutions with the help of technology. The proposal can be in a slide presentation format (5 slides maximum) or a Word document (2,500 words maximum). After completing the proposal, teams must submit their entry via the Solve for Tomorrow registration site before or on November 3, 2023.

Ten shortlisted teams will have a chance to be coached by Samsung experts, and present their proposals to an esteemed board of judges. The Grand Prize winner will receive Samsung devices worth up to ₱650,000 for their school, ₱190,000 worth of Samsung devices for the team and their teacher adviser, ₱100,000 cash prize for team members, and P 20,000 cash prize for faculty adviser. Full mechanics and prizes can be found on the official website.

Here are just some of the solutions developed by winners of Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow from around the world.

Looking for a study buddy? TAZ’s App got your back

Indeed, wherever young innovators triumph, each convenes to develop solutions for a better tomorrow.  TAZ, the winning team from Malaysia in 2021, from St. Francis Institution, Malacca, developed an app that helps Malaysian students around the country to connect with study buddies who share similar interests and help them acquire access to a variety of learning materials nationwide and equip their peers with time management tips.

PathFinder System:  Key to safer spaces in schools

A gunshot detection and evacuation system was one of the 2022 Solve for Tomorrow’s grand prize winners in the United States. Designed by students from Porter High School, Texas, the PathFinder system addresses crowd stampedes caused by a threat of an active shooter. It aims to ensure students' safety inside their school and ease the fear of school shootings. It essentially eradicates false alarms and its LED lights change color to indicate the proximity of danger while pointing out the safest way out. It was one of the smartest prototypes proposed in the competition, as it is highly functional and sustainable.

Support athletes during competitions with the Human Health Band

With an innovation that aimed to assist athletes on their road to victory, Strawberry Crest High School from Dover, Florida, was awarded one of the four grand-winners for Solve for Tomorrow 2023. With a Human Health Band designed to monitor an athlete’s body temperature and prevent heat-related deaths,  the team conducted thorough research on making this project feasible and sustainable to save lives using recycled fabrics and developed software.

Join Samsung in its mission to help build a better future and be part of the country’s very first Solve for Tomorrow competition. The deadline for submission is November 03, 2023. Interested applicants can learn more and submit their entries at the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow site: https://www.samsung.com/ph/solve-for-tomorrow/

 

*DTI Fair Trade Permit No. FTEB-176096 Series of 2023

SM conducts 'Shake Drill' dry run across all malls

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​SM Supermalls, the country's biggest mall network, shows its full support to the July 30 metro-wide earthquake preparedness drill dubbed as the "Metro Manila Shake Drill" by conducting its own simultaneous dry run earthquake and evacuation drill across all participating malls in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The dry run aimed to simulate the coordinated commencing of the drill, test devices and utilities that will be used to train and familiarize all mall personnel; and address concerns that may be encountered on the actual day of the drill.

Valuing the safety and welfare of all SM Supermalls customers and the communities where its malls operate, SM went on a full campaign to raise awareness for the upcoming Metro-wide Shake Drill. In-mall public announcements and mall collateral materials are strategically in place to ensure that the public is made aware and well-prepared for the drill.

An Emergency Response Group has already been activated to ensure the smooth implementation of the dry run across the malls. The importance of disaster preparedness is key across SM’s operations, from its management down to the employees and mall frontliners.

The Metro Manila Shake Drill, scheduled on July 30, is spearheaded by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), in partnership with DOST-PHIVOLCS. It aims to prepare various agencies and the general public for a potential major earthquake scenario. 

The exercise will be held simultaneously from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM across Metro Manila. A separate night time drill will be conducted in the Ortigas Business District in Pasig City from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

For more details about SM Supermalls' Shake Drill participation, visit SM Supermalls' official website www.smsupermalls.com.

Philippines soon to get Free Wi-FI in public places !

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The Philippines to get Free Wi-FI in public places (this July 2015) via the Department of Science and Technology’s Information and Communications Technology (DOST-ICT) Office project.

The Philippines’ more than 7,000 islands will soon be connected with access to free Wi-Fi as the DOST-ICT Office Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places project was at first intended to bring Internet connectivity to 748 class 4, 5, and 6 municipalities in the country with a 339 million peso budget, but was expanded to a nationwide coverage after the funding was jacked up by the Senate to nearly one and a half billion pesos.

According to Undersecretary Louis Casambre of the DOST-ICT Office, with the new project Terms of Reference, free Wi-Fi will be made available to public parks, public schools and libraries, government hospitals and rural health units, transport terminals, national and local government offices. 

“Any increase in Internet connectivity through Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places will jump start economic development by giving access to e-Commerce, e-Learning, and e-Government tools to beneficiaries…” Casambre said.

These can increase their incomes and pushing their economic status upwards across the nation, especially those belonging in the countryside.

The DOST-ICT Office release also cited the World Bank study that indicated every 10 percent increase in broadband connectivity results in a 1.38 percent increase in Gross Domestic Product.

DOST-ICT Office reveals that Internet connectivity and Wi-Fi hotspots will be sourced from the country’s Internet Service Providers.

For remote areas that do not have broadband connectivity/infrastructure, the DOST ICT Office will use TV White Space vacant frequencies located between television channels.

The public Wi-Fi project will serve 105,000 concurrent users with 256 kbps each, which is the lowest prevailing speed requirement for broadband service in the country.

Users will be classified into 3 levels which varying assurances of internet speed and access based on their user ID. The first Wi-Fi spots will be set up by July 2015.

New Sets of Cyberpress Officers for 2014

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DOST-ICTO – The Information and Communications Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology inducts new officers of ICT Journalists Association of the Philippines (Cyberpress) for 2014.

Usec. Louis Casambre (on extreme right) and the new officers are, from left to right - Paolo Montecillo, VP-Internal, Tomas Noda - Secretary, Raffy Pedrajita, MemComm, Marlon Magtira-Public Affaris, TJ Dimacali, VP-External, Verns Joven, Treasurer, and Alora Guerro, President  -  Photo by: Rafa Pedrajita of www.digitalspidey.com.

The CyberPress raised around 100,000 pesos for Yolanda victims during a benefit dinner held on the same night. All funds were turned over to Red Cross immediately after the event.

About DOST-ICTO  : 

The Information and Communications Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology is the Philippine Government’s lead agency on ICT related matters. Its primary thrusts are in the ICT Industry Development, eGovernment, ICT policy development, Internet for all and Cybersecurity.