DUBAI // Pupils had to do some quick-thinking when set their tasks at the annual Inter School Science Challenge at Knowledge Village on Tuesday.
More than 400 pupils from Grade 6 to Grade 13 took part in The Emax Young Innovators 2013 science festival and challenge.
Many of the students said they had only received notice of the event a day or two beforehand and were still wrapping up end-of-term projects and writing final exams.
In teams of two or more, they were challenged to create a scientific exhibit or experiment in one of three categories – science collage, invention and innovation, or recycling.
The festival’s theme was “simply innovate” and also featured a 30-question science quiz.
“The whole idea here is one, to give them hands-on experience, build a healthy, competitive spirit and secondly, that they learn something,” said Reena Banerjee, founder and director of the host company, Big Idea.
“So they can do anything and be as creative as they wish.”
For some, crunch-time fostered simple but powerful problem-solving creations.
Using just a regular pen, tape and an empty bag of crisps, Grade 7 pupils Rohan Raman and Niraj Nandish, from J S S Private School in Dubai, came up with a type of stylus for smartphone or tablet computer users.
They inverted the cleaned bag and wrapped it around the top end of the pen, securing it in place with tape.
While one end of the pen still worked, Rohan flipped it over to demonstrate how the end with the chip foil could be used to animate touch screens.
“Static electricity passes through it and goes on the tablet, that’s how we can use it,” said Rohan, 12.
“It recycles the chip bags, so they don’t go to waste and it also saves people money because it works the same way as a normal stylus.”
Rohan said his device is a tweaked version of a common hack found online that suggests how users can convert regular pens into touchscreen pens.
“Usually, on the internet, they use foil and a sponge which is damp but this metal is better because you don’t have to dampen it every time,” he said.
Aayash Hegde and Rishon D’Souza, Grade 9 pupils at the Westminster School in Dubai, invented a cycle-powered phone charger.
Using a homemade circuit board and a dynamo, the two 14-year-olds were able to generate electricity by using friction that travelled from the back wheel of the bicycle through a micro USB plug connected to the phone.
It takes about one hour of stop- and-go cycling to power up to 5 per cent of the phone’s battery.
“You can use it in your daily life and it’s quite affordable,” Aayash said.
Rishon added: “And you can generate electricity without polluting.”
Many of the displays centred on conservation and using fewer natural resources.
The inventions impressed Hema Narula, a schoolteacher who volunteered as a judge, going from table to table assessing students’ work.
“I found a tremendous amount of understanding among the students about the cause of this huge amount of waste we are generating and the need to actually recycle,” Mrs Narula said.
“First of all we had the awareness part and then they actually worked out a viable option on how you could actually recycle.”
Winners of each category took home trophies, medals and a commemorative certificate.
rpennington@thenational.ae
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Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
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Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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FINAL RESULT
Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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Company%20profile
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Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
Company%20Profile
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Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
SPECS
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