Electrotechnology School Student Awards previous winners

Congratulations to the following winners, who have each shown remarkable skill in the area of electrotechnology as well as an enthusiastic commitment to developing their skills both within the school learning environment and in their own time.

Winner:
Tom Rowntree, from Coomandook Area School in South Australia, for his Automatic Chook Gate. ($1,000 cash prize)

Second place:
Cameron Borg, from Catholic Regional College Sydenham in Victoria, for developing a remote controlled lawnmower. ($500 cash prize)

Equal third place:
Kirren Thompson, from Merewether High School in New South Wales, for his conversion of the Nintendo 64 video game to a portable console. ($250 cash prize)

Equal third place:
Joseph Salibi, from Catholic Regional College Sydenham in Victoria, for his solar powered, rechargeable vehicle with luxury features. ($250 cash prize)

About their projects

Winner, Tom Rowntree, built a new gadget to keep his chooks safe
Living on a farm, first-place winner Tom Rowntree recognised a need for an automated system to let the chooks out of their pen each day to feed and ensure they were locked up again at night, safe from foxes. The year 12 student designed a solar-powered gate using Auto CAD, and built it with products available from local electronics and hardware stores. The system consists of a geared electric motor that winds up a cord attached to a sliding gate. The motor is controlled by a set of reversing relays which are, in turn, controlled by a basic garden timer. Micro switches at the top and bottom stop the gate at the end of its run or if an animal is in the way.

Tom says he is really pleased with the award. “It means a lot to me. This was a great competition to enter and it’s great to get the recognition for things that I have done at home.”

He says he is definitely aspiring to a career in mechantronics and plans to go to university next year to get the qualification he needs. “I have a great interest in designing things that have not yet been built, and then building them and watching them work. One of my strengths is designing something from scratch and then being able to build it. I like seeing a potential problem and finding a solution.”

Judges, Dr Bill Petreski from NECA and Wes Cassidy from NHP, were particularly impressed by Tom’s ability to solve a real world problem in his regional environment. “Tom demonstrates a true understanding and interest in providing innovative electrotechnological solutions in regional Australia where resources and support are limited. His automated chook gate addresses a real issue for farmers exceptionally well,” said Dr Petreski.

Tom’s senior school manager and maths teacher David Sonntag said, “Tom is one of the finest young brains for his year level in South Australia. He has the potential to keep Australia at the forefront of developing and applying new technologies in the electrotechnology industry. Tom’s knowledge and expertise in the field of electrotechnology have been developed drawing on his knowledge of secondary school maths and science rather than through formal training. This award and the range of electrotechnology projects Tom has completed are testament to his outstanding talent.”

Second place winner, Cameron Borg, devises an easy way to mow the lawn
Year 12 student Cameron Borg has always enjoyed working on lawnmowers and had most of the components needed for his VCE project at hand. He was particularly interested in adapting a lawnmower that people with disabilities could use.

Cameron’s lawnmower consists of a 2-Stroke power torque engine with a steel base and two-blade cutting disk. He adapted windscreen wiper motors from a car to drive and steer the mower, connecting them to chain and sprocket set-ups from push-bikes that are then connected to shafts between the two back wheels and two front wheels. The motors allow the mower to move forward, backward, left and right and are driven by a battery operated four-way remote control, originally from an electronic car, so there is no need to push the mower manually.

The judges commented on Cameron’s lawnmower project as a demonstration of how innovation can lead to a practical solution for the disabled.

Cameron’s systems engineering teacher Bruno Wisidagama also noted, “Cameron’s project displays advanced skills and knowledge in the electrical engineering field and is a remarkable example of what can be achieved using readily accessible materials in a very creative design.”

Cameron was pleased to have been one of two students chosen from his school to enter the awards and was thrilled with his second place win. “I was making this project for my VCE subject, Systems Engineering. I didn’t actually expect to be nominated and was shocked to come second.”

While Cameron isn’t sure about whether he will take on an apprenticeship or go to university, he is definitely considering a career in the industry. “I would like to pursue a career in the electrical industry, either as an electrician or an electrical engineer,” he said.

Equal third place winner, Kirren Thompson, is an electronics whiz
Kirren Thompson, a year 10 student who was awarded equal third place, has been fascinated by electronics since he was four years old and now hopes to make his career in the field. He has developed his skills mostly from electronics books and the trial and error of practical experience. His Nintendo 64 Portable project is a conversion of the 1996 video game console into a portable console. It required replacing the 240VAC power supply with a DC power supply, adding a screen and controller, constructing a case and modifying the existing hardware.

Kirren’s teacher, Roslyn Penson was amazed by the results of Kirren’s project. “Kirren has an impressive ability to construct electronic equipment and he is very deserving of this award,” she said.

The judges also noted that Kirren’s project is a demonstration that new is not always best and the life of consumer electronics can be extended and enjoyed for many years when in the right hands.

Kirren said it was great to win as he had put a lot of effort into his application. “My mum is a science teacher and she got the application form and drew it to my attention. It looked good and I thought I would give it a go because I thought I had a chance.”

“I’ve loved electronics since I was four when I started building things. My parents bought me a kit with springs and wires to make circuits. Then my grandmother bought me a Dick Smith Funway Kit which included two books with 10 projects in each, and all the components, and I got to make radio sets and little electric organs,” he said.

Kirren plans to make a career in the industry, possibly studying for an electrical engineering degree or similar, in Newcastle.

Equal third place winner, Joseph Salibi, has a vision for cars of the future
Joseph Salibi, a year 12 student who shares third place with Kirren, built a solar powered rechargeable model car with luxury features using a standard radio controlled car as a base. Joseph’s design uses solar power to charge rechargeable batteries. The power is then directed into a Receiver PCB to control the vehicle’s system features including a drive motor with gears and steering control, the ability to open and close the hood and boot, a neon system, an alarm and a horn. He has also included light activated headlights and tail lights as well as a rear collision sensor system.

Bruno Wisidagama, Joseph’s teacher said, “Joseph has displayed exceptional abilities in the field of electronics to complete his project”.

Judge, Dr Petreski added, “This vehicle is a prototype of what cars of the future should feature. I would be pleased to be driving a car designed by Joseph in a few years’ time.”

Joseph said he entered the awards as he thought his idea was pretty good and was excited by his third place win. “It means that I can actually succeed in something that I enjoy. I am thinking about becoming an electrical or electronic engineer, so this pretty much says to me that I am heading in the right direction.”