10 March 2019 – As a collaboration between the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Student Chapter, Department of Mechatronics and Biomedical Engineering (DMBE), Medical and Health Sciences Society, UTAR, and IEEE-MySIGHT4Rehab group, a Humanitarian Engagement activity was held in the Home for Special People in Cheras, Malaysia. This multi-entity collaborative event was held to provide an introduction to humanitarian activities for under-served populations to fellow student volunteers, like some who participated from the Health Sciences Society. The students organized an interactive science demonstration, colouring, and origami making sessions for residents from the Home of Special People, which houses individuals with physical disabilities. There was even testing of a prototype in measuring gripping force of some of the children  from the Home during the half-day event. Awareness of such assistive technologies will be vital in improving overall quality of life for this community.

Furthermore, these activities aimed to develop awareness among student volunteers in what they can do to assist this under-served community. SIGHT leadership believes that with engaging activities, it will inculcate more similar student-initiated humanitarian projects in the future. The IEEE MySIGHT4Rehab group intends to further develop these humanitarian efforts among volunteers not only from an engineering program but as well as those from health sciences program by hosting an IEEE-SIGHT workshop in June 2019. We would like to record sincere appreciation to all volunteers of IEEE-EMBS UTAR Student Branch, UTAR Medical and Health Sciences Society, DMBE UTAR, and IEEE-MySIGHT4Rehab group for their time and spirit of volunteerism in making the event a success.

   Group photo to commemorate the joint activities with the center residents

Origami session with the residents

Science Demonstration

Trying out gripping force assessment device

Electromagnetism Demonstration