Kisumu High Schoolers Invent Police-Connected Device to Curb Exam Cheating, How it Works
On Tuesday, April 11, students from the Jalaram Academy in Kisumu unveiled a device to prevent exam cheating.
Azelia Mckenzie and Brian Steve explained that the security box has five features that detect and report access to the papers to the police.
Steve explained that it would reduce exam papers’ widespread leaking before their scheduled release.
“It is fitted with an ultra-sonic sensor and a security lock which only grants access through a pin. If the box is opened without the pin, the alarm goes off,” he explained.
The student added that the new device uses a global system for mobile (GSM) communication model, allowing it to send text messages in the event of a breach.
Mckenzie noted that the breach could be visually detected and reported using system-attached beam lights.
“When the box is sealed, it blinks blue, and when opened, the color changes to white. We also have a buzzer that goes off and sends a message in real-time,” she explained.
The administrator controls the Arduino software that powers the security system and operates on a code.
Given that exams are sent to different stations, the police and center managers’ contact information is added to the code. This gives them access to the box and sends alerts if it is tampered with.
Moses Otiende, who guided the students during the innovation, reassured them that the system was more secure than analog security measures.
“Once the coding is done, they must be manually transferred to the mini-server through a port. There is no window from cyber hacking since it is not connected to the internet,” Otiende stated.
The box can also be used by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to protect ballot boxes, according to the teacher.
Kisumu High Schoolers Invent Police-Connected Device to Curb Exam Cheating, How it Works
