EPICS-in-IEEE

Presentation at EPICS-IEEE Workshop in Hyderabad, India

www.ieee.org/go/epics-high

Kapil Dandekar (co-leader)

Saurabh Sinha (co-leader)

Prasanna Venkatesan

Nana-Ampofo Ampofo-Anti

Maciej Borowka

Supavadee Aramvith

EPICS-in-IEEE – Humanitarian and Education Initiative

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS)

– Organizes university and high-school students to work on engineering-related projects for local area non-profit organizations.

– Conceived and championed by IEEE 2007 President Leah Jamieson, Purdue University.

EPICS-in-IEEE - New Social Innovation Programme

– Empowers student branches and IEEE GOLD groups to work with high school students on community service-related engineering projects

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EPICS-in-IEEE Team

Kapil Dandekar (USA)

Saurabh Sinha (South Africa)

Prasanna Venkatesan (India)

Nana-Ampofo Ampofo-Anti (South Africa)

Maciej Borowka (Poland)

Supavadee Aramvith (Thailand)

Team mailing list address: epics-high@ieee.org

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About the Initiative The Need:

– Community service organizations need help from people with technical backgrounds to leverage technology to deliver the services they provide.

– There is a need to emphasize the role of community service to students in IEEE’s fields of technical interest.

Supports IEEE Strategic Goals

– Profession: Education

– Public: Image of IEEE and the Profession

– Organization: Members and Volunteers

– Organization: IEEE the Association

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IEEE/IRE History

IRE’s formation

–Titanic

–Radio technology

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EPICS-in-IEEE – Engineering Social Innovation through University and Pre-University Education

Non-govt./Non-

profit

organization(s) The World Association of

Non-Governmental

Organizations (WANGO)

University

student

branch(es)

Secondary

School

Partner(s)

Community

Partner/

“Recipient” External

Sponsor(s)

Life without engineers? (1)

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Life without engineers? (2)

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Be The Change You Want to See in the World

- M.K. Gandhi

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Principal Outcomes of EPICS-in-IEEE

Establish a relationship between the student branches in each of the participating Sections, a local high school (or schools), and non-profit or humanitarian organizations in each venue.

– Focused on development of devices and systems for the benefit of the target audiences of the non-profit

community partners.

Develop training resources to train local section champions on EPICS and service learning. These section champions, and the volunteers they train, will be empowered to disseminate the model further – locally and to other Sections.

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Objectives of EPICS-in-IEEE

Increase high school student interest in pursuing an engineering-related career path

Leverage the EPICS program demonstrated ability to reach female and under-represented students

Increase the reputation of IEEE in the public

Accentuate IEEE’s transnational nature by conducting the effort over IEEE Sections all over the world

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Initiative Progress

Since 2009, 28 projects received funding

– exceeded target number of awarded projects each year

Involving over 95 volunteers with 140 University Students and 265 (29 % female) pre-university students impacting thousands in communities around the world

Technical solutions addressing

– Human services (4 projects)

– Access and abilities (3 projects)

– Education and outreach (9 projects)

– Environment (10 projects)

Papers presented at the 2011 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

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EPICS-in-IEEE around the world

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EPICS Around the World

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Making a Difference Around the World – One Project at a Time

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# OF PROJECTS

Argentina 3 Belgium 1

India 6 Namibia 1 Nigeria 1

South Africa 5 Uganda 2

United States 4

Uruguay 2 Zambia 2

Zimbabwe 1

28 PROJECTS IN

11 COUNTRIES

(regions 2, 8, 9 & 10)

Drexel University SB (Philadelphia Section, USA) –Clean Air Council

Philadelphia Section in partnership with the Philadelphia Clean Air Council and Science Leadership Academy developed an air quality sensor network for monitoring residential areas in South Philadelphia.

These sensors determine air quality in various Philadelphia neighborhoods to provide “first screening” for EPA standards.

Student groups: designed and manufactured wireless interface & sensor, deployed materials through city, designed algorithm to map sensor network, evaluated effects and sensitivity of weather conditions on sensors

18 university and 65 high schools

students involved 4-Dec-12 17

University of Cape Town (South Africa Section, South Africa) - Western Cape Breeze

The University of Cape Town Student Branch developed a wind power turbine out of scrap material which was able to deliver 50 W of power.

Wind turbine with potential to be used as lighting for the school or for a mobile clinic.

Over 7 sessions, secondary school students met to learn about renewable energy and to construct the wind turbine. Students learned importance of design and environmental impact. 7 university and 10 (4 female) high

schools students involved 4-Dec-12 18

University of Cape Town SB - Oaklands School Computer Lab Renewable Energy Audit and Alternative Energy Installation

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UCT Student Branch was given 20 PCs from the UCT Engineering and Built Environment faculty.

PCs are 3-4 years old but received technological upgrades and installed in Oaklands High School.

Students learned how to assess energy consumption and conduct energy audits, and learn about environmental impacts.

6 vols, 8 university and 11 (4 female)

high schools students involved

Hybrid Renewable Energy Supply for Oaklands High School PC Lab – Outcomes

Scope changes due to construction work led to division of project into Phase A and B

Phase A was completed in 2010 – installation of power supply and construction of models

Phase B was completed in 2011 – donation of PC’s for new lab [1]

Applied lessons learnt from 2009 pilot project

– Team Structure

– Early Planning

– Careful partner and school selection

– Relied on existing network of contacts within University

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[1] D. Oyedokun, N-A. Ampofo-Anti, S. Sinha, “Hybrid

Renewable Energy Used to Power Computer Laboratory:

A Project by University of Cape Town IEEE Student

Branch,” Proceedings: IEEE Global Humanitarian

Technology Conference (GHTC), 30 Oct. - 1 Nov. 2011,

Seattle, pp. 131 - 136.

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Kyambogo University (Uganda) - Poverty Reduction And Environmental Conservation

Through Solar Powered Solutions

Students translate their theoretical knowledge in engineering into skills to develop clean technologies which will reduce the use of fossil oil, lamps stoves, and wood-fuel (used by 90 % of Ugandans) to sustain a clean environment.

Students from Kyambogo University worked with students at Agha Khan High School to create a solar powered phone charger with solar charging controllers designed and built for low-income communities.

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Solar Water Geyser Modelling and Installation at Children’s Home - Overview

2011/12 UCT Project yielded a fully functional solar water geyser model

Emasithandane Children’s Home in Nyanga did not have a functioning geyser

2 High Schools participated including students staying at the home

High School Learner Roles: Design and Construct model 25 L geyser

NGO Partners: Crossing Borders, Emasithandane Children’s Home

Raised over $50,000 funding from Crossing Borders, Stuttgart and local firms: MLT, Hills Solar, Eskom, Solaire Direct

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Solar Water Geyser Modelling and Installation at Children’s Home – Technical & Outcomes

High School learners built a 1 kW array of solar panels from solar cells and a 25 litres solar water geyser

Project team visited one of the largest PV model manufacturing company in the Southern Hemisphere, Solaire Direct technologies

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Microsensors for Air Quality Observations - Overview

Postgraduate students – Compose and test Hypothesis encompassing broader issues relating to ambient air-quality microsensors for smart Earth Observations.

Undergraduate Students

– As part of one-experiment to investigate sensitive silicon (Si) chips towards measuring a priority air-quality pollutant.

– To propose an integration of such a Si chip for a portable device, ideally coupled with a GSM transceiver.

St Alban’s College learners

– To construct a board-level design, including a conventional off-the-shelf air-quality sensor, and replicate (x 3) the boards; designating such a board as a “wireless node.”

– The board-level development will be analogous to works done at Drexel [1]; it will further be complementary (as a “quick solution”) to the works being done by the “partner” undergraduate EPR400/2 students (Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa).

– Two student groups will repeat the work using two different sensors (measuring the same pollutant criteria – to compare results).

– Design and developed kits to also serve as an educational or teaching kit for improving the public understanding of air-quality.

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[2] K. Dandekar, S. Sinha and N-A. Ampofo-Anti, “IEEE-Based Implementation of Engineering Projects in

Community Service,” Proceedings: IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC), 30 Oct. -

1 Nov. 2011, Seattle, pp. 481 - 486.

Microsensors for Air Quality Observations – Partners

Work with the National Science and Technology Forum

– Promote IEEE activities generally in areas where the IEEE “flag” or brand is less known.

– Improve the public visibility of Electrical, Electronic & Computer Engineers, Univ. of Pretoria

– Take forward designed “educational kits” towards teaching of basic microsensor applications at secondary schools in previously disadvantaged areas

– Assist in seeking future funding partners for EPICS-in-IEEE (South Africa)

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Call for Proposals

Through this initiative, EA will provide funding support for approved projects in IEEE's fields of interest which address one or more areas:

– Education: Pre-university schools, museums, adult learning programs, after school programs

– Access and abilities: adaptive services, clinics for children with disabilities, programs for adults with disabilities, assistive technology

– Human services: homelessness prevention, affordable housing, family and children agencies, neighborhood revitalization, local government

– Environment: environmental organizations, neighborhood associations, parks & recreation

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Proposals Tips

Project proposal must be championed by an IEEE Section student branch or GOLD group

Non profit humanitarian organization needs to be identified who will provide a relevant engineering project that the team can undertake in one or more of the EPICS core areas

Pre-university students also need to be mentored by the team on project related activities so that they can learn more about engineering and engineering design

Proposal form can be downloaded from:

www.ieee.org/education_careers/education/preuniversity/EPICSApplication.html

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Example: UCT IEEE SB Structure

Student Branch

Technical Chapters+

Affinity groups

Communication Society

PES WiE

Standing Committees

Project Committee

EPICS-High CLAP REL

Publicity Membership Finance

CLAP- Computer Literacy for Academic Purpose

REL- Renewable Energy Literacy

WiE- Women in Engineering

There is good synergy between the projects committee, technical chapters and WiE

Example: Financial summary (1)

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Revenue Sources

Revenue Source Source percentage of total revenue

IEEE 18.34% R 64 972.80 $9 554.82

Solaire Direct 28.20% R 99 891.00 $14 689.85

MLT 5.65% R 20 000.00 $2 941.18

Hills Solar 2.54% R 9 000.00 $1 323.53

old PC sales 8.47% R 30 000.00 $4 411.76

Dept of EE, UCT 1.41% R 5 000.00 $735.29

Eskom 4.23% R 15 000.00 $2 205.88

Eskom Rebate 3.16% R 11 209.00 $1 648.38

Crossing border 25.40% R 90 000.00 $13 235.29

Crossing Border donation 2.60% R 9 200.00 $1 352.94

R 354 272.80 $52 098.94

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Example: Financial summary (2)

18%

82%

IEEE and External Funding

IEEE Funding

External Funding

EPICS Summary

Through development of an EPICS model, IEEE will strengthen its position as a leader in pre-university student education and recruitment, while performing a public service to community-based non-profit organizations

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www.ieee.org/go/epics-high

IEEE

Not a member?

– Please join: www.ieee.org/join

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Prof. Saurabh Sinha, SMIEEE, Pr Eng

Group Head: Electronics & Microelectronics

Dept.: Electrical, Electronic & Computer Eng.

University of Pretoria, South Africa

Tel: +27 12 420 2950

Fax: +27 12 362 5115

E-mail: ssinha@ieee.org

Contact

28 Projects in 11 Countries (1)

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Year Country Project Title

2011 Argentina Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Recycling Program

2011 Argentina IP telephony system implementation

2011 Argentina

Design, development and construction of modular educational kits for teaching electronics in high school level for public schools in the Province of Cordoba

2010 Belgium Construction of solar cells to meet basic needs of Bagaya, Senegal

2011 India Video learning for rural schools

2011 India Humanitarian computing local solutions for the visually impaired

28 Projects in 11 Countries (2)

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Year Country Project Title

2010 India Device to assist spastic children with communication

2010 India Synchronous traffic control system

2011 India Green cart

2011 India Device to assist communication of disabled based on hand gesture recognition

2010 Namibia Mobile science lab for high school In rural area

2011 Nigeria Image processing approach to the modeling and design of an intelligent traffic control system

2011 South Africa Air-quality microsensors for earth observations

28 Projects in 11 Countries (3)

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Year Country Project Title

2009 South Africa Western Cape breeze

2010 South Africa

Computer lab renewable energy audit and alternative energy installation

2010 South Africa

Photovoltaic powered study lamp incorporating an AM/FM radio and mobile phone charger

2011 South Africa

Modeling and installation of a solar water geyser at Emasithandane children's home in Nyanga

2010 Uganda Poverty reduction and environmental conservation through solar powered solutions

2012 Uganda Developing, producing and deploying lightning arrestors to curb lightning

28 Projects in 11 Countries (4)

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Year Country Project Title

2010 Uruguay Pro E-Scientia – language translation

2010 Uruguay Elementary energy – Electrical energy to rural elementary school

2009 USA Clean air council – air quality monitoring

2011 USA Wind-powered electrical supply for humanitarian field operations

2011 USA Renewable energy for sustainable development laboratory

2011 USA Air quality monitoring of Marcellus Shale drilling sites

2010 Zambia OpenBTS (Open Base Transceiver Station) implementation In Chikankata

2010 Zambia Digital teaching units

2010 Zimbabwe On-Line monitoring of lightning incidence and severity in rural Zimbabwe