FYP – Topics

2025/2026

Title 1: Mathematical modelling of fluid turbidity based on Fourier optics and Wiener deconvolution for non-contact refractometry measurement of glucose in urine

Project Description 1: Accurate, rapid, and non-invasive measurement of glucose in biological fluids remains a key challenge in biomedical diagnostics. Urine, as a readily available and non-invasive sample, holds promise for glucose monitoring, especially in managing diabetes mellitus. Traditional methods such as biochemical assays or dipsticks often lack sensitivity and require multiple steps. Optical techniques offer high precision and compatibility with non-contact measurements. Refractometry estimates glucose concentration by detecting refractive index (RI) changes. Laser-based, non-contact refractometry methods are ideal for portable and hygienic urine sensing. However, urine turbidity caused by suspended particles like cells and proteins scatters light, distorting optical signals and reducing measurement accuracy. Existing solutions to turbidity-induced distortion involve preprocessing methods like centrifugation or filtering, which compromise the system’s non-contact and real-time benefits. An alternative is computational correction using deconvolution. Among these, Wiener deconvolution stands out for its ability to restore distorted optical signals by minimizing the mean square error between observed and true signals while accounting for noise. The primary research objective is to mathematically model fluid turbidity using Fourier optics and Wiener deconvolution in order to retrieve a more accurate beam profile, thereby improving the reliability of refractive index estimation.

Title 2: Development of an underwater drone equipped with a robust, automatic station-keeping control system for dynamically changing underwater conditions in the Sarawak river

Project Description 2: Underwater drones are increasingly used for real-time operations such as pipeline inspection, wreck exploration, and environmental sampling. However, maintaining precise position control (often referred to as station-keeping) during autonomous seabed landing remains a challenge due to the complex and dynamic underwater environment, including currents, poor visibility, and limited GPS access. Without reliable station-keeping, drones may drift, leading to compromised data quality, inefficient operations, or even collisions with subsea structures. The primary research objective is to design, build and develop an underwater drone equipped with a robust, automatic station-keeping control system capable of operating effectively under the dynamically changing underwater conditions of the Sarawak River.

Title 3: Development of automatic trepanning machine for precise high-speed extraction of fish’s pituitary gland

Project Description 3: The demand for fish has considerably increased in recent years due to population growth and its healthy diet. To increase fish production for sustainable human consumption, natural hormones in the form of pituitary extracts are made by removing the pituitary gland from a fish and extracting the hormones, which may then be injected into another fish. The primary problem is that the conventional method of extracting pituitary gland is time-consuming and inefficient, leading to scarcity of natural hormones as over the-counter injectible spawning aid. Conversely, synthetic hormones are strictly approved for breeding ornamental (pet) fish only but have been irresponsibly used in fish for human consumption which may induce adverse effects on the consumer health. The primary research objective is to design, build and develop an automated trepanning system for precise and high-speed extraction of the pituitary gland from fish.