[Sponsored Report] Samsung volunteers its expertise for good

Samsung Electronics employees give advice to some of the Tomorrow Solutions contestants. [SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS]

Samsung Electronics has been finding ways to give back to society through its expertise in IT and technology.

First held in 2013, the Samsung Tomorrow Solutions contest awards ideas on creative ways to overcome discomforts and problems in our society.

Those with the best ideas are offered the chance to work with the company’s employees and specialists in bringing their ideas to life. The 2015 contest brought together 1,235 teams and 5,823 contestants of all ages.

In February 2012, five members of the Samsung Creativity Lab developed eyeCan, an eye-controlled mouse for the disabled.

The creators open-sourced the technology to increase manufacturing opportunities for the mouse, which had a price up to 12 million won ($10,200).

With the open software, consumers can make an eye-controlled mouse with cheap materials for less than 50,000 won.

In 2014, the upgraded eyeCan+ was released. Unlike other eye-controlled mice that require a wearable device, the eyeCan+ detects the user’s eye movement through a small device attached to the monitor.

This year, the first Junior Software Cup took place, jointly organized by Samsung Electronics, the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning and the Ministry of Education to search for teenagers with potential in software development.

Some 923 teams from elementary, middle and high schools took part in the competition to present software under the theme of family.

Sixty teams participated in a boot camp for two days, where Samsung Electronics employees offered professional advice to help the students develop their ideas into software programming.