Prototypes that can interpret sign languages into voice, recognise voice and switch on and off electronic appliances, and a cost-effective braille printer have won the Innovation Challenge. The challenge was held at Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Super Fab Lab in Thimphu yesterday. It was aimed at empowering lives of persons living with disabilities with assistive technology and developing solutions that enhance the quality of life.
The challenge was held in three phases where six teams were selected for the finals.
Participants were mostly school-going and college students.
Throughout the challenge, the projects were judged based on aspects such as how impactful the prototypes were and their usability and innovation.
The winning team, SynchroTech developed an app called ལག་བརྡ་AI to interpret sign languages into voice.
The app focuses on assisting people while communicating.
“We participated in this challenge mainly because we have been already working on this project but then we cannot get all the facilities such as the SMTP integration. But then if you get the membership then we will be there. And the next thing is the visit to the Wangsel Institute because they are the end user after we develop our product,” said Assesh Nepal from Team SynchroTech.
He added that they want to expand the collection of data on sign languages from the Wangsel Institute and plan to include local languages in their App.
One of the runners-up was Team Druk Assist. They presented a prototype titled Switchifizer which is a tool powered with voice recognition and accessible through a mobile app to turn switches off and on.
Pema Ugyen Namdrol Jamtsho of Team Druk Assist said “Our team Druk Assist developed a product that could make the home appliances smart. Being declared as the runner-up, it is a testament to our hard work and effort put in during the Innovation Challenge. Being awarded the one-year membership in the Super Fab Lab, we would want to use the machinery and equipment here to develop our product and also come up with new innovative ideas that could help the society and the community.”
The other runner-up was Team Braille.
Their prototype was a cost-effective braille printer. Team members said it is expected to cost more than Nu 15,000 compared to the expensive commercial braille printers.
All the winners received one-year membership at Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Super Fab Lab.
According to the Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Super Fab Lab, the membership will provide the participants with access to machines so that they can further develop the prototypes.
Tshering Wangzom, an analyst at Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Super Fab Lab said “DHI InnoTech has hosted a lot of innovation challenges in the past. This year itself, this is the second one, but previously it was a Hackathon in collaboration with different agencies. But this one was Innovation Challenge, which was for longer duration so that the participants will get more time to work on the idea and get more exposure.”
Norbu Dema, Bhutan Foundation’s Country Director, said “Watching these young minds come up with these amazing solutions, really understanding the problems and coming up with prototypes and all that. There is hope for helping our disability community live better lives and access education and maybe talk about employment in the future. So, definitely, I see a lot of potential.”
The event was organised by the Druk Holding and Investments and Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Super Fab Lab with funding from the Bhutan Foundation.
Sonam Dendup
Edited by Tshering Zam
