International Capstone Design Camp & Contest (ICDC) 2026 was Held in Busan, Korea
The International Capstone Design Camp & Contest (ICDC) 2026 was held from August 8 to 17, 2026, at Dong-A University in Busan, Korea.ICDC is a collaborative program jointly organized by Dong-A University (Korea), National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (Taiwan), and Kumamoto University (Japan). It aims to nurture students who can engage in international collaboration and creative manufacturing in the new era of global innovation.
A total of 60 students (20 from each country) participated, forming 10 international teams of six members, two from each country. Starting with an online kick-off meeting in May, each team exchanged ideas through social media and refined their concepts. After presenting their project proposals in July and receiving guidance from faculty members of the three universities, the students finally gathered in Korea in August to create their final products during the in-person camp.
This year’s theme was “Physical Interactive Devices Making the Invisible Visible.” Even after arriving in Korea, the students continued to discuss and refine their ideas, and all teams worked diligently to complete their projects within the limited timeframe. On the final day, each team delivered an English presentation and demonstration, followed by comprehensive evaluations.
The Grand Prize was awarded to Group 6 for their project “Silence Keeper.” Designed for places where a quiet environment is required, such as libraries, the device detects noise above a certain level and uses LED lights to provide a visual alert. The color, flashing pattern, and illumination of the LEDs change according to the volume and duration of the noise. If excessive noise continues for a certain period of time, the system also sends an alert to the facility administrator.
By making noise—something normally invisible—visible through light, “Silence Keeper” successfully embodied this year’s theme. The team received high praise not only for the quality of the completed product, but also for its concept and presentation skills.
The participating students shared their impressions, saying:
“It was sometimes difficult to overcome language barriers and differences in ways of thinking, but even when things did not go as planned, I learned the importance of continuing through trial and error, taking action, and making improvements along the way.”
“It was a rare opportunity to experience something completely new and to grow as a person.”
“I learned the importance of taking action without being afraid of failure, even in an unfamiliar environment.”
The participants returned home having gained valuable experiences beyond what they could learn through their regular studies on campus and having formed friendships that crossed national borders.
The next ICDC will be hosted by Kumamoto University in 2027. Students from all departments and courses in the Faculty of Engineering are welcome to apply. Detailed information on participation and application guidelines is scheduled to be announced around March to April 2027.
International exchange and collaboration through ICDC will continue to thrive in the years ahead.
Students discuss ideas in English and explore concepts for new products.
Student presentations
“Silence Keeper,” presented by Group 6, winner of the Grand Prize
Group photo of the participants