Innovative and Committed: The First LabUpCycle Challenge at the Ucac-Icam Institute

Écologie intégraleInternational
19 May 2025

The LabUpCycle Challenge officially launched on February 14 at the Ucac-Icam Institute in Douala. The goal? To reduce environmental impact while encouraging teamwork and the ingenuity of future engineers!

Solutions to Give Laboratory Equipment a New Life

Second-year students in the General Engineering (International and Innovation track – O2) and Computer Science (X2) programs had just over two months to come up with innovative ways to repurpose unused or broken laboratory equipment.

This creative and eco-conscious competition unfolded in three phases: an initial ideation phase, a design and prototyping phase, and a final project presentation before a jury.
Out of 17 ideas submitted, 15 projects were approved, and 7 made it to the final round, presented by four groups.

Innovation and Sustainability Rewarded

The Top Three Winners:

1st Prize – Anatomy of a Projector
By Régine Félicia Mbassi Etondi, Yvan Loic Tsio Tchio, Jack Jerry Akoa
A pedagogical artwork showcasing the internal components of a video projector on canvas, along with explanations of their functions.
Upcycled item: Broken video projector

2nd Prize – K-Curtains
By Régine Félicia Mbassi Etondi, Yvan Loic Tsio Tchio, Jack Jerry Akoa
An innovative project that repurposed motors from out-of-service lab equipment to create an automated curtain system for potassium rooms. The device is programmable, energy-efficient, and demonstrates a smart, eco-responsible approach.
Upcycled items: Stepper motors and roller from a 3D printer / Transition shaft from the FabLab

3rd Prize – Mini Weather Station
By Daniel Tsakeng Tsopmo, Sodje Famabou Brice, and Messie Karlone Donguem Talle
A compact system integrating sensors, a microcontroller, and a display to collect, process, and visualize local weather data.
Upcycled items: Voltage generator / Central processing unit from the electrical engineering lab

Special Awards:
• Jury’s Special Prize: Eco-Station – An ultrasonic insect repellent
• Alumni Special Prize: Losing Some to Save Others – Reclaiming parts from discarded equipment
• Director’s Special Prize: Eco-bin – A smart system for managing electronic waste

Congratulations to all the participants for their creativity, teamwork, energy, and dedication—and a big thank-you to the CITAC project for sponsoring the prizes!