One of our past students, Melvin Zammit, places as a finalist in Google science competition
Melvin Zammit, who studied at our school between the Scholastic years 2005/6 and 2009/10 was chosen by Google from over 10,000 other participants is now back in Malta brimming with enthusiasm for innovation and loaded with advice from technology moguls.
On Monday 23rd July, Melvin took his revolutionary three-dimensional display to the giant search engine's offices in California, after his keen interest in electronics won him a ticket to Google headquarters in the USA.
He was there as one of 15 finalists in the Google Science Fair, an annual global online competition that rewards “curious minds” aged between 13 and 18.
Melvin, represented Malta with an original system made up of multiple transparent images stacked in front of each other displaying a “real” 3D image.
“If an array of LEDs are spun in a circle and switched on and off accordingly, an image would form by illusion. When some of these layers are stacked after each other, you get a 3D display,” is how Mr Zammit explains his innovative project.
The set-up makes 3D displays look “real”, especially when compared with today's 3D imagery built on stereoscopic technology, which tends to feel unnatural.
Melvin says that the concept can have “infinite possible applications” in the future, such as in 3D modelling, gaming, 3D telephony, hospitals “and many other applications that require a realistic volumetric display”.
Although on Monday he failed to make it into the top three, Mr Zammit says that the experience has opened many doors for him. It is also already very encouraging for him that the European organisation for nuclear research, Cern, has expressed interest in his idea.
Among the trip's highlights, Melvin mentions his meetings with Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Vint Cerf, an American computer scientist considered one of the fathers of the internet.
Melvin was also very enthusiastic with the fact that he not only made contacts with large companies but with other young researchers. He added that one of the most exciting things was that “the Maltese flag was everywhere”.
Throughout the three-day tour at the Google headquarters, the Maltese flag flew alongside the US, Canadian, Ukrainian, Spanish, Indian and Swaziland's flags.
From a young age, Melvin, showed keen interest and enthusiasm for Science and Mathematics, he always excelled practically in all the subjects he studied.
Congratulations, Melvin, and keep it up.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120609/local/Displaying-a-sci-fi-talent.423396
We are deeply honoured to have the opportunity to lead St Michael School’s community as it enters its 66th year of service. Through the years we have developed a strong appreciation for the holistic approach to education and we try our best to provide an outstanding opportunity for youths to grow and develop as mature Christian citizens.
There are 999 other success principles
that I have found in my reading and experience,
but without self-discipline, none of them work.
So do what you should do,
when you should do it,
whether you feel like it or not.
Thomas Huxley (1825 – 1895)
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