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Hello, my name is Bram Tan Siang Eu. I have been an industrial designer for over 12 years. I am the Managing Director of ToWS Dynamics Sdn Bhd. I have also been developing mobile labs for 5 years. The name 'ToWS' stands for 'Technology on Wheels Systems'. I named the company ToWS 'Dynamics' because we also offer a customization option as well as readymade products, if customers have specific requirements that our existing products do not meet, we will meet them.
My aim: 'Keeping your technology moving'.
As an industrial designer, my commitment to good design is responding to the end-user requirements in a quickly changing consumer landscape, with reliable solutions and products. This has been the basis of all of my product design work.
In 2003 I was granted R&D funds by the Malaysian government to take my ideas a step further.
Soon after exploring the needs of end users in education, I was part time design lecturer for several years, my aim was to develop idea for what is becoming a trend in education and training worldwide, a new approach known as the 'Peripatetic Classroom' meaning a classroom that moves around. This is made possible by the concurrent drop in price and increase in performance of laptops and wireless technology.
My development team was fortunate enough to work with many teachers to get valuable feedback throughout or research. The opportunity to study our end users' needs from the language centres of the British Council in several countries, helped us to develop the range of innovative i-Push™ products.
Significant advantage is gained from using laptops over desktops. Desktops are bulky; laptops are much less intrusive in a classroom environment. A laptop based mobile computer lab which uses wireless technology to connect with the school's printers, intranet or internet also tends to reduce or completely remove the need for conventional computer labs and fixed network points. Thus freeing up more classroom space and reducing complexity in the learning environment. Laptops in class also allow for more dynamic and fluid teaching styles.
Also by maximizing resource sharing between users, this system reduces hardware costs too. The trend of the peripatetic classroom or mobile lab is showing signs of steady growth and perhaps meaning the end of the traditional computer lab.
In the future, I am also planning to develop new services and software that build on the current range of i-Push™ products and I hope you continue to enjoy using them.
-Bram Tan, Managing Director.
