FUJAIRAH // Budding young scientists on the east coast are being urged to get help bringing their innovative ideas to life through the Fujairah Science Club.
The club, which opened in 1998, has played a major role in introducing young people to the latest technologies and help them acquire technical skills in computers, robots, electronics, mechanics, turnery and innovative thinking.
About 50 members aged between 12 and 25 visit the club each day from all over the east coast — Fujairah, Kalba, Khor Fakkan and Dibba. Some come to learn how to programme a robot, build a car or understand its mechanism, and seven of them have recently managed to bring their own ideas into reality.
Club manager Khaled Al Fazari said he is always keen for more young people to come along and learn about science and technology.
“I was one of the first members to join the club in 1998, and that made me love science and technology and inspired me to be part of this important establishment and guide more young people to take part and benefit from our services,” he said.
One group of club members has earned praise for its development, with the help of experts at the club, of a smart shopping cart that assist elderly people and those with disabilities.
“The cart has a product scanner, a self-cashier device and can follow the consumer around the shop,” said Eiman Al Shehhi, 21. “It’s designed mainly to make the shopping experience easier for old people and people with disabilities, along with saving time and avoiding long lines at the cashier.”
Ms Al Shehhi and fellow designers Bayan Al Hantoubi and Mashaer Al Koos, both 21, are electronic engineering students at Higher Colleges of Technology and have started testing the cart to see how it fares in a real-life situation.
“The past seven months were not easy. Engineers at the club helped us in achieving our goal and we appreciate that we have such a place here in the area that gave us the opportunity to make it happen,” added Ms Al Shehhi.
A group of four Emirati women at the club have also seen their idea of a speed bump that retracts during rush hour or for emergency vehicles come to fruition.
“In September 2016, our idea was just a few words on paper and now it’s real and it’s right in front of us,” said Mariam Al Naqbi, a 23-year-old Emirati college student.
She and three others have built a prototype of the smart speed bump, which can be retracted either manually or through road sensors and laser points.
“The purpose of our project is to decrease the traffic jam in rush hours, reduce the amount of emissions produced by vehicles and increase the speed of emergency cars to save time,” said Marwah Al Bloushi, 22.
Safaa Al Bloushi, also 22, added: “Each one of us gets stuck in the traffic jam caused by the hump on Merbeh Street each day and that inspired us to create our project.”
Maitha Al Mesmari, a 23-year-old who studies electronic engineering at Higher Colleges of Technology with the others in her team, said they tested many kinds of sensors and tools to get the best results.
“Seven months of hard work and we managed to complete the project last month and present in our college, where everybody liked it,” she said.
The club, in Fujairah city, is a non-for-profit organisation managed and supported by the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare.
It offers courses every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4.30pm to 7pm. For more information, call 09 222 9414.
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