Intel ISEF 2016: UAE students showcase outstanding innovations

The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF 2016), which was held in the United States in Phoenix Arizona, saw approximately 1,700 high school students from over 75 countries in attendance.

Among these individuals were two students, Maryam Alhashmi (Al Ittihad Private School), and Khalfan Hableel (Al Khaleej National School) from the United Arab Emirates who showed great promise when it came to their scientific innovations.

A Greener Future with Solar Power
At Intel ISEF 2016 Alhashmi had showcased her scientific innovation, which saw her and her team creating a transparent solar cell, made up of plastic and glass. According to Alhashmi: “Our project will essentially equip more than 50% of the country’s skyscrapers, homes, buildings, and even mobile phones with solar energy.”

Alhashmi was awarded, by the Alcoa Foundation, with $1000 USD for showcasing a project that illustrated ingenuity and practical application towards bringing a greener future to buildings globally.

Taking a Closer Look at the Fire Fighting UAV
Taking a closer look at Hableel’s scientific innovation, he explained that he had essentially built a working prototype of a Fire Fighting Unmanned Air Vehicle (FF UAV). According to Hableel, the FF UAV performs in two successive phases. During the first phase, the FF UAV aims to fly to a designated location, as fast as possible, in order to provide live video footage of a fire. During the second phase, the FF UAV payload mechanism is activated to release a fire-retardant on the target.

Hableel explained that: “Phase one is achieved by blending First-Person-View (FPV) technology with an onboard autopilot system that captures live video footage and aerial data which is wirelessly transmitted to a ground station. During phase two, the FF UAV’s innovative capsule bay doors are remotely activated to release a fire retardant. With further development in the field, the FF UAV could eventually become a vital member of the firefighting fleet.”

IT News Africa conducted interviews with both students in the video below: