Teams from over a dozen universities in the Philippines showcased their electronics projects for the top prizes in the 2008 Microcontroller Applications Design Contest (MADC) held last February 23, 2008 in Alabang, Muntinlupa, Philippines. The yearly competition is organized and supported by the IEEE Philippines Section, Zilog Electronics Philippines, Inc. (ZEPI) and the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology.

The MADC is a test of engineering and design skill aimed to foster interest and innovation in microcontroller-based products among Filipino undergraduate engineering students. The competition was initiated in 1999 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) Philippines section and Alexan Commercial, Inc. In 2002, Zilog Electronics Philippines, Inc. (ZEPI) started their partnership with IEEE to further promote the program's objectives among various schools and universities in the Philippines. One of ZEPI's major continuing contribution to MADC is the giving out of Zilog development kits to partner schools and universities and supporting training workshops.

A jam-packed hall awaits the start of the competition

 
Students putting last minute finishing touches on their entry

"The long term objective of the MADC is to foster the growth of small and medium-scale industries in the local electronics industry. By doing so, we can help the country capture a part of the growing world market for design and manufacture of electronic products," Luis Sison, chair of the MADC steering committee and former Section Chair of the IEEE Philippines Section.

Now on it seventh year, the current competition has two categories: the Open Design and the Mobot or mobile robot races. Under the Open Design category are student projects in any of the following applications: mobile phones/ PDAs/ Infrared/ Bluetooth; keyboard, mice, remote control, biometrics; CAN/LIN/SUB; Ethernet; memory devices; virtual instrumentation; power management; powerline communications; barcode scanners and RFID; and other ideas or devices with immediate impact to industry.

Three awards at stake in the Open Design category include Most Commercializable, Leading Edge and Most Promising Team. The first two awards carry cash equivalents of PHP56,000.00 each (US$1,400.00 each) and with the Most Promising Team getting PHP40,000.00 (US$1,000.00) plus impressive trophies. Apart from the prizes given to student competitors, the faculty advisers and schools of the winning teams also get separate cash prizes.

A mobot from a competing team navigating the course during the practice round.

For the mobot races, there are two categories: Classic and Maze. Some of the teams in competition are from the following universities: Adamson University, Asia Pacific College, Ateneo de Manila University, Mindanao State University-General Santos City, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Rogationist College in Cavite, University of Baguio, University of the Philippines Diliman and Wesleyan University-Philippines in Cabanatuan. The total number of participants exceeded 120 students and faculty members.

Trophies given to the competition winners

And the race is on!

Representatives from IEEE Philippines Section and the sponsors awarding one of the winning teams.