APU made FUSION 2024 a memorable year by successfully hosting the 6th National Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and sweeps six Student Design Challenge (SDC) awards.

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) had a remarkable year, achieving significant milestones in both academic and competitive arenas, notably hosting the 6th National Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) ― FUSION 2024, while its students excelled in the Student Design Challenge (SDC), securing six awards.

FUSION 2024, organised by the Kuala Lumpur ACM SIGCHI Chapter (myHCI-UX), focused on ethical technology, and brought together professionals, researchers, educators, and students from public and private universities. 

The SDC, a competitive event, challenged students to propose innovative solutions for real-world issues, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDC Chair committee members for 2024 are Ms Aida Zamnah Zainal Abidin, Assoc Prof Ts Dr Vinothini Kasinathan, Daniel Mago Vistro, and Jeffery Jeselee Sijore, all from the School of Computing (SoC).

APU’s Computer Games Development students, Daffa Fauzan Maulana and Marvel Dewey, made waves at the competition, clinching the Best Award for Undergraduate (Ideas/Concept) and Special Jury Award (Best Presentation) for their innovative project, ‘Merdeka! Promoting Indonesian History Interactive Cinematic Storytelling in a Historical Accurate Game’.

Mentored by Mr Jacob Sow Tian You and Dr Chen Tet Khuan, this project aimed to revolutionise Indonesian history education with a captivating 3D storytelling game. 

As Daffa Fauzan shared, “We learned the incredible potential of our two-man team to create an ‘AAA Game’ by carefully managing risks and time. The competition taught us the crucial importance of presentation, not just as a showcase, but as a pitch to captivate our audience.”

By effectively communicating their vision, mission, and commitment to the Indonesian gaming industry, Daffa and Marvel turned their dream of contributing to their nation as a diaspora into a reality. 

They hope to inspire countless Indonesians to pursue their passion for Game Development.

Looking ahead, Daffa and Marvel see this competition as a steppingstone to even greater achievements, recognising the vast potential for improvement in their future endeavours.

Lim Yau Jade, Business Information Systems student, impressed judges at the Student Design Challenge (SDC) with her ‘AI-powered invention ‘AI Harmonizer: Unlocking the Secret of Chord Progression’.

Under the guidance of Dr Kohila Malar Kalesamy, Yau Jade developed a revolutionary tool that simplifies music composition by predicting chord progressions.

Claiming a Silver award for her innovative work, she expressed gratitude for the experience, stating, “Participating in FUSION’s SDC was an eye-opening journey. I not only honed my problem-solving and design thinking skills but also gained a deeper understanding of how technology can intersect with sustainability.”

Highlighting the importance of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Yau Jade emphasised the need for more HCI courses in the curriculum.

“By integrating HCI principles, we can better equip students to tackle real-world challenges and create solutions that truly resonate with users,” she explained.

Yau Jade’s project also showcased the potential of technology to contribute to the SDGs, particularly in education. 

The competition exceeded her expectations, providing a thrilling platform to put her theoretical knowledge into practice and reinforce the significance of user-centred design in technology development.

Chiew Jing Xian, also mentored by Dr Kohila, won the Silver award for ‘Reading to Win: Revolutionizing Literacy with Analytics Driven Gamified Library Systems’.

This project aimed to increase user engagement with library resources through gamification.

“This competition was a real eye-opener. I initially overlooked the importance of HCI principles, but now I understand their crucial role in creating user-friendly technology.

“I encourage more APU students to participate in future competitions to gain valuable insights and experience.”

Data Analytics student, Lee Zhi Chen, mentored by Mr Justin Gilbert Alexius Silvester, won the Silver medal for ‘Optimizing Customer Segmentation in Insurance Banking with Machine Learning for Enhanced Personalisation’.

This project enhanced personalisation in insurance banking through customer segmentation using machine learning.

“Interacting with talented individuals from different universities was truly inspiring. 

“Their innovative projects, especially in UI/UX design, broadened my horizons and motivated me to explore new possibilities for my data-driven website.

“Although the competition’s focus on design initially posed a challenge, it ultimately encouraged me to think critically about the user experience and how I can improve my website’s overall impact.”

Khoo Wenn Honn, also mentored by Mr Justin, won the Bronze medal for ‘A new Approach to Improve People’s Lives Through Life Satisfaction Prediction Modelling’.

This project aimed to predict life satisfaction using machine learning and provide recommendations for improvement.

“This was a truly enlightening experience, a departure from my usual academic routine. Participating in this competition opened my eyes to new possibilities and inspired me to push my boundaries.”

These achievements highlight APU’s commitment to fostering innovation, creativity, and social impact, while students’ projects demonstrated their ability to apply technology to address real-world challenges and contribute to sustainable development. 

APU’s dedication to empowering students and providing them with opportunities to make a positive impact is evident in their success.