The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition has entered its next phase: the shortlisting of the Top 10 entries. The contest, which is in India for the first time, called for creators/thinkers/tinkerers in the age group of 16-22 to come forward with their ideas for change in 4 key areas: healthcare, environment, education and agriculture. The jury were delighted by the quality of these entries.
Last month, the jury painstakingly picked the Top 50 entries, which we detailed here and here. These Top 50 teams attended a 3-day bootcamp at FIIT-IIT Delhi campus, where they received expert advice, guidance and mentoring to refine their ideas and take their projects and prototypes further.
This week, we’re announcing the Top 10 entries, who will be given access to Samsung’s R&D centers in Bengaluru and Noida as well as its headquarters in Gurugram for expert interactions, in addition to Samsung hampers worth Rs 1 Lakh per team. Each of these teams is working to create solutions to real world problems that are important not just to India, but the world at large.
Biopatch: This device does away with the need to prick yourself several times a day to measure blood sugar levels. For diabetics, measuring their blood sugar levels is critical to maintaining good health, and avoiding diabetes related complications. The biopatch will be a non-invasive skin patch that alerts users when their blood sugar approaches the hypo or hyper glycemic ranges.
Alpha Monitor: A smart device that aims to help patients with Alzheimer’s. The GPS enabled smart wristband will monitor the patient’s pulse, blood pressure and other vital readings. What sets it apart from other similar devices is the SOS feature – it will automatically contact the caregiver and the doctor, if it detects abnormal readings.
Team Udaan: In India, only 12% of women can afford to use sanitary pads. The rest rely on cloth, newspapers and even plastic, significantly raising the odds of contracting infections. Team Udaan’s inexpensive sanitary pad is made from a byproduct of the sugar production process – sugarcane bagasse. What’s more, it can be washed up to 3 times, making it truly cost effective.
Sputnik Brain: 1 in 3 people suffer adverse effects of stress, worldwide. The effects of stress on our health are well known, as are the side effects of medications aimed at reducing stress. Sputnik Brain will be a non surgical, chemical free technology with no side effects. It will use biomarkers to determine when the wearer’s stress levels are reducing, and help steer them into more pleasurable pursuits.
CAD: According to the World Health Organization, 17 million people die each year due to a heart attack (myocardial infarction). To combat these alarming numbers, team CAD has designed a wearable device that can monitor the ECG of a person, on the go. An associated mobile app gives details in real time and contacts emergency services in case of a cardiac event.
JNV FBD MAAN: Wheelchair access and other modifications to facilities are still not the norm in most places in India. Team JNV FBD MAAN are exploring an innovative wheelchair design that allows users to fold the wheelchair into crutches that can be used to navigate stairs, and then fold them back out into a wheelchair.
Svar: India’s physician shortage is well known. Particularly in the case of speech therapists, several children and adults who suffer from speech impediments do not have access to speech therapists because of their location, or due to economic constraints. The Svar app will utilize AI and gamification to help users overcome their speech impediments through rigorous practice.
Team Planeteers: Micro Nanoplastics are extremely toxic and affect marine and human environments. However, standard water treatment facilities are incapable of removing all traces of microplastics. Team Planeteers’ Underwater Autonomous Vehicle will be capable of detecting and removing micro nanoplastics using a sensor that works on Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy.
Able Innovation: Millions of people suffer from hearing loss in India. Hearing aid technology has several areas of improvement: the weight and size for one, and the battery life (which at present, is around only 6 hours). The most crucial element of these devices is the bone conduction coils. Team Able Innovation is exploring the use of piezoelectric transducers, which helps reduce the size and weight of these devices, and also make them last longer.
Backyard Creators: This is a non-surgical adhesive hearing device that eliminates the need for risky brain surgery. The Backyard Creators’ hearing aid is also cost effective and will consider removing 1/6th of the traditional hearing aid implantation. Their device will be suitable for all ages and will rid patients of post surgery restrictions.
Each of these teams will now work with experts at Samsung’s R&D centers to refine their ideas, and to improve the technology used. Irrespective of which of these teams are picked for the Top 3, each team will walk away with invaluable support and learning, and we can look forward to seeing these projects in the real world in the near future.
The Top 3, of course, will receive Samsung products, and more importantly, grants of up to Rs 1 Crore in addition to long term support from both Samsung and FITT-IIT Delhi. In our next article, we’ll bring you the details of the Top 3 teams, and the conclusion of the first ever Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. You can follow the progress of the competition and these exciting ideas and projects at the competition website.
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