Batangas university wins sandbox contest for microelectronics students

The following is a press release from Xinyx Design.

In an exciting effort to convene the brilliant young minds of the 21st century and emphasize the pivotal role of integrated circuit (IC) design in the Philippines, Xinyx Design sponsored “Xinyx Unlocked 2023,” a nationwide sandbox competition for engineering students studying microelectronics.

“Xinyx Unlocked is our way to promote IC design as a promising, innovative, and fast-growing career path that our next generation of graduates need to be aware of. Filipino engineers are world-class and always in demand. We need to elevate the field of engineering and develop design thinking in our students so that we can compete in the regional and global market,” said Charade Avondo, Xinyx Design president and general manager.

The following teams and their respective entries are the big winners of the Xynix Unlocked 2023 nationwide contest:

Grand Prize – First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (FAITH)

• Contest Entry: “GESTULEARN: HAND TRACKING AND GESTURE RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY FOR ASSISTIVE TEACHING IN SPECIAL EDUCATION”
• Engr. Adonis S. Santos, Mentor
• Ivan Renz T. Eser, Lead
• Vianca Dhenise D. Vergara, Member 1
• Jafeth C. Estocado, Member 2

1st Runner Up – Mindanao State University – General Santos (MSU-GENSAN)

• Contest Entry: “FPGA-BASED NEAR-INFRARED GLUCOMETER WITH APP INTEGRATION”
• Cristina P. Dadula, Mentor
• Dr. Ryan Banal, Mentor
• Laurenz Clyde A. Garcia, Lead
• Kenneth Arnyl F. Diaz, Member 1
• Kimbian S. Lim, Member 2

2nd Runner Up – Caraga State University (CSU)

• Contest Entry – “DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A MONITORING SYSTEM FOR FLOATING SOLAR PLATFORM”
• Engr. Jeffrey T. Dellosa, Mentor
• Ricky Pie Resonable, Lead   
• Harvey L. Ablagador, Member 1
• Jesryniel Plaza, Member 2
• Jocelyn Llorente, Member 3

Winners were awarded the following: Grand Prize – P70,000; 1st Runner-Up – P20,000; 2nd Runner-Up – P10,000. The winning team receives a monthly stipend of P10,000 for two academic years.

Launched with the theme “From Problems to Possibilities: Building Tomorrow’s Cities Today,” this inaugural competition underscores the necessity for inventive solutions in urban development anchored on microelectronics. Through this, Xinyx also aims to spark the interest of the younger generation in this crucial industry and encourage them to maximize their talents for economic and social development.

According to Statista, revenue in the integrated circuits market is projected to reach US$5.35 billion in 2023 with a projected annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 11.50%, resulting in a market volume of US$8.27 billion by 2027. However, the Semiconductor Industry Association in Washington released a study revealing that the United States faces a significant shortfall of 70,000 technicians, computer scientists, and engineers in the semiconductor industry by 2030.

A total of 58 entries were received from state colleges and universities nationwide.

Luzon

• First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities (Finalist)
• Cavite State University – CCAT Campus (Finalist)
• University of Batangas
• Batangas State University – The National Engineering University Alangilan Campus (Finalist)
• Colegio de Muntinlupa (Finalist)

Visayas

• Technological University of the Philippines – Visayas

Mindanao

• Caraga State University (Finalist)
• Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (Finalist)
• Mindanao State University – Main (Marawi) (Finalist)
• Mindanao State University – General Santos (Finalist)
• Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan
• University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines

– Rappler.com