Event: Miftah An Nur School STEAM Week — Robotics Demonstration Session
Theme: Interdisciplinary Learning Through Technology and Culture
Venue: Miftah An Nur School, Brunei Darussalam
Organised by: School of Digital Science (SDS), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) in collaboration with Miftah An Nur School

🎤 Event Overview

Miftah Annur School’s STEAM Week — an interdisciplinary celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics — brings learning beyond the classroom by combining creativity with innovation. I was privileged to envision and help materialize a full-day robotics demonstration session with help from Dr Ong Wee Hong, where SDS students designed and delivered hands-on activities to inspire young learners about the possibilities of digital science.

🧭 Activity Highlights

A key highlight of the day was the line-following robotics showcase, where students watched miniature robots navigate tracks with precision. This demonstration illustrated the seamless integration of sensors, programming, and real-time problem-solving — offering an exciting glimpse into the future of engineering.

Other memorable moments included:

🤝 SDS Student-Led Demonstrations

Our SDS students designed and conducted six interactive stations, each tailored to make complex concepts accessible and fun:

  1. Know Your Hardware Game
    Activity: Students learn about computer hardware from a physical display and play a computer game to correctly identify components.
    Concept: Foundational understanding of computer hardware components.

  2. Gesture Game
    Activity: Students interact with the computer screen using hand gestures to pluck apples from a virtual tree.
    Concept: Introduction to computer vision — how cameras detect hand gestures and control screen elements.

  3. NAO Conversation and Actions
    Activity: Students converse with the humanoid robot NAO to solve mathematics problems and watch the robot perform choreographed actions.
    Concept: Robots can be programmed to communicate, reason, and move autonomously.

  4. Alphabot Competition
    Activity: Students manually control miniature mobile robots (Alphabots) to compete in a robot race on a track.
    Concept: Remote control systems and the basics of robot programming logic.

  5. Turtlebot3 SLAM
    Activity: Students use a game controller to move a Turtlebot3 robot to create a real-time map of its surroundings.
    Concept: Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) — how robots use sensors to “see” and navigate environments.

  6. VR Gulingtangan
    Activity: Students wear a VR headset and play Gulingtangan — a traditional Bruneian percussion instrument — in a virtual world using wrist movements.
    Concept: Immersive technology design: how VR systems are programmed, tracked, and operated.

🌟 Personal Notes

Seeing young students light up as they programmed a robot, mapped a room, or played traditional music in VR was deeply rewarding. This event reaffirmed the power of hands-on, culturally-grounded STEM education — and the vital role universities can play in nurturing curiosity from an early age.

I am grateful to Miftah Annur School for their partnership and trust, and immensely proud of our SDS students who dedicated their time and creativity to make this day a success. Their enthusiasm, technical skill, and ability to connect with younger learners exemplify the spirit of service and innovation that defines our school.

Events like these are not just about showcasing technology — they’re about planting seeds. Seeds of confidence, curiosity, and the belief that they too can build the future. Excited to continue growing these partnerships and expanding access to digital science education across Brunei.

STEAM Week Robotics Demo with Mr Bilal (principal), Hafiz (tech lead), Miftah students and team

Myself and the Prinicpal

SDS students leading robotics activities at Miftah Annur School STEAM Week — bridging culture, technology, and education