When most people think of engineering, they picture complex equations, towering structures, or cutting-edge technology. But for one resourceful engineering student, the real test of his skills came not in a classroom or lab, but in the messy, unpredictable reality of everyday life. A frustrating visit to a hospital led Thinesh Kumar a/l Balamurali, of the Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering with Honours to come up with the idea of a smart indoor navigation app.
“I accompanied my grandmother to the hospital for a medical appointment and both of us were anxiously trying to find the right department in the vast and confusing hospital layout. That experience made me realise how much we depend on navigation apps like Waze to show us the right direction outdoors, yet there is no such real-time navigation app for an indoor setting. This is how I got the idea to work on this smart indoor navigation app,” recalled Thinesh.
Thinesh (right) receiving the 'Most Viewed' award from Danes Ooi, an external judge from Analog Devices Malaysia and Ts Dr Lim Li Li (left), Dean of TAR UMT’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology, at Project Design Exhibition (PRODEX), an annually held project exhibition which showcases final year projects of TAR UMT’s engineering students.
Called the Visible Light Positioning (VLP) system, the indoor navigation technology uses visible light emitted by LED lights to pinpoint precise indoor locations. Unlike GPS, which struggles within buildings due to signal interference and blockages, or Wi-Fi-based systems prone to errors, the VLP system offers centimetre-level accuracy. “It’s like turning the existing LED lights into a kind of invisible map that guides you precisely to your destination,” he explained.
The technology itself is both innovative and exciting. Special LED lights transmit signals that a smartphone camera can capture. These signals are then analysed by sophisticated software, which accurately determines the phone’s location — with precision measured in mere centimetres.
The interface of the VLP system which Thinesh developed.
However, developing the VLP system was no easy task. Thinesh faced multiple challenges during the eight-month project, including interference from ambient light, real-time data processing difficulties, and finding optimal LED placement. “It took countless trials and errors, but every challenge pushed me to innovate,” he reflected.
Throughout the process, Thinesh worked closely with his supervisor, Dr Lum Kin Yun, whose guidance proved invaluable. “He is very resourceful and supportive. He provided valuable input and solutions that helped me solved key challenges I faced with the system. He also emphasised a step-by-step approach to creativity and problem-solving. This helped me fine-tune the system to be reliable, accurate, and scalable.”
“In addition, TAR UMT’s support and resources were a big help in developing my solution. For example, the engineering labs were crucial for me to analyse data, develop algorithms, and build and test the VLP system. Besides Dr Lum, my other lecturers also offered invaluable guidance on improving the system’s stability and finding more ways to use it in different industries,” Thinesh pointed out.
Looking ahead, Thinesh plans to further develop and commercialise the VLP system. His vision includes enhancing the system’s capabilities by integrating dynamic object tracking and augmented reality features. Grateful for the support he received, Thinesh shared, “I am grateful to be studying engineering at TAR UMT as besides the quality education, TAR UMT provides me with all the resources I need to bring this project to life. I hope this innovation will continue to inspire me, especially in using my knowledge and skills to create smart environments that improve everyday life.”
