Young Maltese scientist builds pager

An electronics student from the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology is to represent Malta at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists with a pager of his own design and construction.

Glenn Camilleri is a student at the Institute of Electronics Engineering.

He won the right to compete at the annual EU contest, to be held in Vienna in September, by winning a local competition for young scientists at which other students from the college and from St Aloysius competed.

Mr Camilleri's pager is used to send messages to personnel of the institution without the use of established services, MCAST said.

The messages can be sent from a computer and transmitted on a particular band of radio frequencies which cover the limited area of reach. Messages coming from outside can be directed through the server.

The device is a good means of communication where mobile phones cannot be used. It is also ideal for persons who are difficult to reach by other means, including engineers, technicians, doctors and other professionals.

One major advantage of the device is that it does not require a licence, so no fees will be incurred.

The college said Glenn's main interest lies in computer software. His attitude, however, was described as one of not being content with limiting himself to lecture notes but of always wanting to do further research.

The competition, open to students under 20 who have not yet entered university, was organised by NSTF and sponsored by Air Malta with the support of the parliamentary secretariat within the Ministry of Education and Malta International Airport.

The competing projects were exhibited at Bay Street.

In the past, a Fellenberg student, Chris Mangion, together with Adam Bartolo from St Aloysius, placed second in the European contest.

The institute is offering courses at different levels and covering a broad area of electronics. Students gain a good understanding of how to develop a career within the electronics industry.