UNM Electrical and Electronic Engineering Students Win Third Prize at the National FPGA Design Competition in China

Two students from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) have won third prize at the grand final of The 8th National College Students' Embedded Chip and System Design Competition — FPGA Innovation Design Track. Jiang Ruihe and Li Yurui were selected from a field of approximately 8,000 competing university teams across China, with UNM being the only participating institution from Malaysia. 

Under the supervision of Ir. Ts. Dr Belle Ooi, the pair developed "Pai Pai Kong", an intelligent acoustic interaction and control system built on an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) platform. Using a microphone to capture real-time audio, the system analyses clapping sounds based on features such as transient energy, duration, time intervals and repetition frequency to distinguish between different clapping patterns. These are then mapped to hardware control commands through the FPGA's internal logic, enabling the system to start, stop or change the operating states of connected devices such as LEDs and fans. Beyond its immediate application, the project has potential for extension into smart-home systems, contactless device control, Internet of Things (IoT) terminals and assistive technology for people with limited mobility. 

The FPGA Innovation Design Track challenged participants to translate theoretical knowledge of digital systems and embedded technologies into functional, real-world hardware solutions. As such, the team’s project had to take not only programming logic, but also hardware architecture, timing constraints, resource allocation and system integration into consideration. The core development period took two months, and as third place winners, Ruihe and Yurui received a national certificate and medal from the competition organisers. 

"This competition provided invaluable opportunities to bridge the gap between classroom theory and practical engineering problems," the team shared, noting that the experience sharpened their technical competency, teamwork, communication and project management skills. 

The achievement reflects UNM's continued commitment to equipping students with the technical guidance and mentorship needed to elevate their skills and stay abreast of industry trends.