HCT-Dubai Men's College student wins International Science Prize for tyre invention

DUBAI- Dubai-based Mechanical Engineering student Tariq Abdullah Gharib Juma has won third place at the International Movement for Leisure Activities in Science and Technology, held recently in Barcelona, for his novel invention which takes the hassle out of changing flat tyres.

The Higher Colleges of Technology Dubai Men’s College (DMC) second-year student, and his colleague, Khalifa Al Nuaemi from Khalifa University, competed in the international competition, under the auspices of the Emirates Science Club, against more than 200 male and female students from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Australia.

Tariq’s project, grandly named the Deconstructed Overbalance Wheel ‘&’ Automatic Car Lift Machine, helps reduce the back-breaking burden on car users when faced with flat tyres. Tariq explained it is based on using the compressed air cylinder in the car’s conditioner to lift the side of the car so as to remove and replace the tyre without the usual need to exert great effort.

“My colleague and I designed the hydraulic device that works to lift the car side with the damaged tyre by means of the compressed air loads, without the need to use traditional jacks that increase the effort and waste a lot of time to replace the tyre,” Tariq said.

“In the United Arab Emirates, we have tough summer weather with high temperatures, which makes it difficult for drivers, who face tyre breakdowns while driving, to fix the problem immediately and continue their way. That’s why we find our scientific project a great human service, as it reduces effort which causes wasting a lot of time, and reduces the need to leave the car on the road side for a long time which impedes traffic and creates serious problems,” he added.

Tariq said the project was submitted through the Culture and Sciences Symposium in Dubai, which is concerned with the scientific contribution for new inventions, and the project drew attention of judges and visitors at the Barcelona International Fair of Sciences in Spain. The judging panel commented that the project was a really successful scientific contribution to the international inventions of car design.

Dr Saoud Al Mulla, Director of the HCT Dubai Colleges, said that Tariq winning third place in an international science competition is confirmation of the successful “Learning by Doing” principle adopted by the HCT colleges.

“This shows that our students are able to apply science principles they have learnt in a practical setting, and they acquire the thinking skills and application simultaneously. We are very proud that one of our outstanding DMC students has won such a prize,” Dr Al Mulla said.-WAM