8 World News, 新科大首办奇趣机器节 趣味发明展现设计与AI创意

(Translation)

The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) today hosted its inaugural Festival of Funny Machines, using humour and creativity to showcase the playful intersection of design and artificial intelligence, and to infuse technology with human-centred and enjoyable experiences.

The festival featured individual, team and intergenerational categories, with participants submitting a total of 58 interactive “funny machines.” After multiple rounds of judging, 12 shortlisted works advanced to the finals and presented their physical prototypes at the Festival of Funny Machines held on SUTD’s campus today.

Winning entries included a toilet seat capable of measuring the weight of human waste, an AI-enabled water dispenser that senses drinking cups, a magic hat that automatically dispenses tissues when someone sneezes, and eyeglasses fitted with miniature windscreen wipers. These inventions transformed everyday inconveniences into humourous and imaginative solutions.

The Individual Category champion, Bowelbot, was designed by SUTD first-year student Chen Weixuan, who used recycled sensors to calculate the difference in body weight before and after using the toilet to estimate waste weight. He described the design process as both fun and educational.

The Intergenerational Category champion was awarded to an 11-year-old boy, who collaborated with a friend and his father to create the “Glasses Wiper.” Inspired by car windscreen wipers, the team successfully turned a whimsical idea into a working prototype.

SUTD said the event aims to encourage the public to rethink the possibilities of technology through play and imagination, emphasising that joy and laughter can be powerful drivers of innovation.