Surrey University Student Wins ‘Internet of Things’ Award

Published on: 7 Aug, 2016
Updated on: 9 Aug, 2016

By Will Parsons

Maz Chowdhury – winner of a Bosch award for her “Internet of Things” idea

Maz Chowdhury, a young female engineer from the University of Surrey, has been recognised by electronics company Bosch for her concept of an irrigation system, as part of an “Internet of Things” competition.

The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is a network of physical objects, including household appliances, vehicles, and even buildings, which use embedded electronics and internet access, allowing them to be controlled via the internet and to transfer and receive data.

Some household objects have already begun to use IoT technology, such as “internet refrigerators” that keep track of the objects inside and can even be used to order groceries online, or internet-connected thermostats, which help conserve energy by tracking users’ locations via smartphones and heating buildings accordingly.

Ms Chowdhury, who is studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Surrey, has invented an automated watering system linked to ground-based sensors that ensure plants receive the right amount of water.

She submitted her concept to the Bosch competition via a Youtube video. In the video, Maz explains that her irrigation system would be linked to a water tank, global meteorological data, and smartphones through the internet.

“As it rains the level in the water tank goes up,” she explains. “Then, using the sensors of moisture and humidity on the tank, which are allied to the ones that are within the ground, you can tell when the irrigation system needs to start or when it needs to be stopped.”

The competition was aimed at young female engineers, and was launched by Bosch as part of its “#BetweenUsWeCan” campaign, which seeks to improve gender diversity within engineering. Three winners were chosen from across the UK for their submitted concepts.

The University of Surrey where Maz Choudhury is a student

Steffen Hoffmann, President of Bosch in the UK, said: “At a time of chronic skill shortages within engineering, the competition provided a platform for women to demonstrate the ambition to solve problems and ideas to change the world. We challenged the brightest young female engineers to think about how the IoT might transform our lives, and they certainly delivered.

Maz and two other winners now get the chance to pay a two-day visit to Bosch’s Renningen and Reutlingen research and development facilities near Stuttgart, in Germany, where Bosch is developing IoT technologies. The winners will also receive a year’s mentoring from one of Bosch’s female engineers.

Professor Danielle George from the University of Manchester, who helped judge the competition, said: “The competition produced some fantastic ideas that could change the way we go about our lives. Also, at a time of skills shortages across industry, it has been a great way of enthusing the next-generation of female role models.”