School News

IDRISSI School’s Cat-Inspired Innovation Won Gold at MTE 2022

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Jun 17, 2022

- IDRISSI School won gold for three consecutive years on Malaysia Technology Expo 2022 (MTE)

- As an eco-school, the students have been making continuous innovations to complement different living things in the ecosystem

SHAH ALAM: Students of IDRISSI School bagged a gold medal at the Malaysia Technology Expo, held virtually recently for their automatic litter box cleaner innovation. The school took home their fourth gold medals after two of them were obtained last year and one in 2020.

Aligned with the school’s tagline “Be The Change”, students and teachers of IDRISSI International School in Setia Alam always look forward to participating and bringing new ideas from their homegrown farm patches and mini petting farm to the stage of the Malaysia Technology Expo.

Cats, known for bringing an immense joy to households around the world as well as the family of IDRISSI School, have a special place in the students’ hearts. The team, consisting of cat lovers, truly understands challenges that are commonly faced by cat owners when it comes to cleaning the litter box regularly. It could be even bothersome when working and travelling.

Other than to ease the daily tasks of pet owners, the automatic litter box cleaner is also hoped to help veterinary, shelters and pet hotels where a large number of cats can be found. With advanced features inspired by how human’s shoulders work, the litter robot has good control,  durability and is able to follow commands.

The innovation incorporates the school’s upcycling method by using reusable and eco-friendly items such as cardboard box, cat litter, metal fence net and supported by the VEX IQ Robot kit, which allows owners to automate the litter box based on the cats’ need and how frequent the cleaning needs to be done.

“The automatic litter box was inspired by having cats around school. Since the team consists of cat lovers, we were hoping to do something for the cats. Our first year’s innovation was plant-centric, followed by innovation to ease humans in the second year, hence we thought it is time to take care of animals such as cats”, said Yahya, the Project Supervisor who is also a teacher at IDRISSI International School.

The innovative creation was brought to life by the students, Hannah Annas, Rohan Reza, Airin Sophea, Aqeela Zahyra, Ateya Kauthar, Asya Zahra, and Sarah Alisha, supervised by the educators, Mustafa, Yahya, Raimi and Afiqah. Contributing to the success story through a few experiments, were two pet cats raised at school with love and care from the students, teachers and staff.

IDRISSI School also sent another project called “The Caretaker” which is an automatic gardener for indoor vertical farming by Ahmad Yusuf Zahin, Muhammad Amir Hazimi and Ahmad Harith. 

Following the success of the previous years, IDRISSI School has now built a complete ecosystem of innovation, not only to preserve the environment but also to improve the life of different species of living beings through a variety of aspects such as reducing traffic, working on sustainable agriculture to waste management.

Opening its second campus in EduCity, IDRISSI School has started introducing eco and robotics subjects to pioneering and prospective students recently, from as young as 4 to 17 years old. It is hoped that the students gain a gist of what to expect from the school, moving forward. This first campus with boarding facilities is set to open officially in September 2022.

IDRISSI International School is a family of GAINS Education Group. GAINS Education Group is the holding company of Genius Care, Genius Aulad, IDRISSI International School and Sekolah Tinta.