The Maketronics Four (from left), Keith, Walter, Ben and Eric ready to go to Silicon Valley
In the D-Code Bootcamp held from 5 to 7 July 2013, team Maketronics from UTAR, was one of the top three teams selected to go on a sponsored two-week base camp in the Silicon Valley, USA this December.
The D-Code Bootcamp 2013, organised by StartupMalaysia.org, was a three-day intensive coding boot camp facilitated by experts from Silicon Valley, USA who taught the participants step by step to create Google Chrome applications and extensions using Javascript. At the end of the boot camp, participating teams presented their prototypes to a panel of judges to compete for a full scholarship to attend a two-week base camp at Silicon Valley, USA.
Maketronics, founded by UTAR Faculty of Engineering graduate Eric Tan Cheng Hoong and three year-four UTAR Mechatronics Engineering students, Walter Wong Jia Jun, Ben Tan Hwa Pin and Keith Tan Leong Kiet, won with their Chrome app solution called ‘Smarthus’.
Smarthus is an affordable easy-to-use smart remote control system for home appliance switches. It comprises a T8 wireless controller plugged to a home computer installed with the Chrome app and C6 wireless switches installed at the switch socket outlets to be controlled. The home appliances can then be switched on and off remotely via Chrome browser. The current effective range between the wireless controller and switches is 100 meters, which the team is taking efforts to increase.
“I’m glad to have a very capable team like my co-founders and it is because of them, that we are able to go this far,” said Eric.
In December, the team will have the opportunity to meet with prospective investors.