So, last year we won second place of a national scale competition in Intelligent Software and Embedded System. The thing is, that is not quite intelligent and not fully embedded. So, from years before, some researchers in different countries had developed a thing called Brain Controlled blablabla, wheelchair, prosthetic hand, games, etc.
The story began when we were about to choose how to complete a final assignment for our college. There were 3 choices; internship, which means you have to work part-time + classes; submitting a research proposal, means that you have to make a proposal on your own. If it is rejected, then you failed; 3+1 program, which you are working full-time at companies selected by your campus (if you qualified and passed the test given), no more classes, only work reports, and the last is to take a research topic available.
We took the last option because we had no intention to work yet, and more into research because we like strange things, creative ideas, and something people would say as 'crazy'. Long story short, we took this Optimizing Brain Controlled Wheelchair.
Our lecturer(supervisor) is a PhD who are specialized in robotics and AI. He spend a lot for things like robotic hands, microcontroller, and anything robot-related things. He asked us to made a paper to be submitted into a conference in Japan. Well, my partner is doing 80% of the formatting and writings, while I just focused on our thesis. Luckily (or not so lucky), the paper accepted with minor revision, it was a big surprise for us. But then another problem came. The accepted paper costs hundreds of dollars, and to present the paper(including the airplane ticket, hotel, and transportation with paper and of course foods), we need about at least US$2000 for 3 days. Damn it.
Honestly, I don't want this paper is presented by ones who doesn't even know what we have been going through. I want either me or my partner to be the presenter. I don't mind being a listener. But the lecturer choose her for some reason I don't know. I just want to know, but have no time to ask and no will to ask because it will make me look bad.
We proposed to the campus to pay for us, at first, it was impossible, but luckily we have a very kind rector who then accepted the proposal. Well, so many things I want to write here, but as you know, it was not that easy. I will indirectly tell it some time later.
