Malaysian Students' Eco-Friendly Powerbank Wins Top International Award in Genevahttps://t.co/TGykRqbINkpic.twitter.com/tQwykxZzLm
— hitz fm (@hitzdotfm) April 21, 2016
Two high school students from Malaysia landed the top award at the 44th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, Switzerland for their “eco-friendly power bank.” They won the gold medal and best overall award, beating out 1,000 other participants from 48 countries.
The two boys, Ahmad Asyraf Aqil Ariffin and Ahmad Luqmanul Hakim Ahmad Tarmizi, attend MARA Junior Science College, in the city of Kuala Terengganu, located about 440 km northeast of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Ariffin and Tarmizi created the “Power Bank: EXIECO PB,” a light and eco-friendly device that charges smartphones. They spent two years developing the portable charger, which uses brine, coal and aluminum to generate electricity.
The International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva is the world’s largest event for new creations. Over half of the exhibitors hail from countries in Asia and the Middle East. While many of the competitors are commercial companies and enterprises, Ariffi and Tarmizi are one of the handful of students who have taken home awards.
The duo were inspired to make the charger after facing electricity cut offs during the devastating floods in the town of Pasir Puteh two years ago. The incident got them thinking about the idea of a current-free powerbank.
They hope to make smartphones more accessible to communities where electricity isn’t available. Innovative solutions like theirs are key to ending poverty and and solving global problems like access to technology.
"This power bank does not have any negative impact on consumers as it is environmental friendly and [we’ve] submitted our invention to be patented," Ariffin told the Malay Mail.
Companies in several countries, including Nigeria and Algeria, have already expressed interest in marketing the device to their domestic consumers.
Congratulations to Ariffin and Tarmizi for achieving their goals and for continuing to innovate well into the future!
The sky’s the limit for the two young inventors who’ve made their school and country proud.