10 US-based Academic Projects Shine Bright at the Inaugural Edition of Prototypes for Humanity

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, November 16: Engaging university talent across all science and creative disciplines from over 100 countries, Prototypes for Humanity brings together trailblazing ideas, projects, and technologies, addressing critical challenges affecting us all. Through a wealth of input from first-rate academic work, the program acts as a magnifying glass, raising awareness of global problems while celebrating solutions and actions that have the power to solve them. Amongst the 100 selected projects exhibited in Dubai, 10 US-based projects competed for the first Prototypes for Humanity Award: APT: Accessible pregnancy test for the visually impaired by Leandra Tejedor - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) The current lack of accessible at-home medical tests, especially pregnancy tests, deprives visually impaired women of privacy and independence. This FDA-approved test kit can be used without sighted assistance. APT utilises an innovative mechanism which translates the result into vibrations that can be felt when pressing a button on the device. The reading is stored digitally so the tester can re-confirm the result. APT is the first and only stand-alone device built for accessibility and privacy first. HEARD: Ear-tag/app combination to help farmers manage cattle rotation by Steven Morse - Harvard University Fencing required for rotational grazing often comes at a high cost for cattle farmers. Rotational grazing improves pasture production, increases carbon sequestration and means more animals can be kept on the same plot. This cattle ear tag integrates bluetooth, GPS, and speakers helping farmers manage their cattle with virtual fences. HEARD’s App stores health history and information for each specific animal allowing it to be monitored and moved when necessary. NOVEL STARCH MODIFICATION: Thickening foods and improving their nutritional value without adding calories by Peilong Li - Cornell University This innovative solution uses thermal treatment and subsequent coagulation of corn and amaranth starch to increase the viscosity of foods without adding unnecessary calories. The enhanced water-holding capacity contributes to 1000-time higher viscosity compared to native starch meaning the cost of ingredients is also reduced. The gelatinised starch particles are nano-sized and do not alter the texture of the food. JEMI NJE: Translation app to facilitate communication for immigrants by Elira Duro - Pratt Institute Language barriers are one of the biggest challenges faced by immigrant communities today. This innovative app facilitates translation of conversations. The user simply speaks into the device then flips it to deliver the translation. This means being able to look at the person they are communicating with, rather than at a screen, making the conversation more natural and expressive. The on-board speaker is directional rather than diffusing, ensuring that the conversation remains private. REUSABLE EMERGENCY SHELTER: Accelerated housing solution for communities devastated by natural disasters by Ridima Jain - Pratt Institute Extreme weather events are intensifying around the world leaving vulnerable communities homeless. Emergency shelters provide the components for building basic housing communities. They can be shipped and assembled in one week providing the victims with up to 30 months to re-start their lives. The housing can be easily adjusted for changes in family structure. Once vacated, the structures can be dismantled and stored for future use. MAEVE: Interactive mirror to promote body positivity by Zining Liang - University of Pensilvania The ubiquitous and seemingly harmless mirror is a common trigger for people with body image issues. Maeve is an adaptive intervention mirror and App. It works in conjunction with cognitive behaviour therapy to disrupt negative behaviours in moments of need and aims to make therapy more effective and meaningful. The goal of the project is to turn the mirror from an anxiety stimulant into a healing tool, to support people throughout the entire recovery journey. AVERTO LABS: Wearable fall detection system for at-risk construction workers by Rohan Ghosalkar - University of California, Santa Cruz Many fatalities on construction sites are due to falls and related delays in the arrival of emergency services. AVERTO is a sturdy and compact IoT-based device worn on the worker’s belt. It detects sudden change in motion and sets off an alarm. This triggers a warning which is sent to a control centre along with de-tails of the incident. The efficiency and speed of this technology could mean the difference between life and death for a worker. AIRY: Comfortable self-assembly scoliosis brace by Sangyu Xi - University of Cincinnati Existing scoliosis braces are uncomfortable and have poor patient compliance leading to less effective treatment outcomes. AIRY is an AI customisable brace which can be adjusted as teenagers grow, increasing comfort and therefore compliance. It has an integrated monitor to track the daily wearing time of the patient and both doctor and patient can access the data and communicate via an App, which allows them to instantly review the treatment and consider any modification required. ANABAENA: Plant-based therapeutics for vaccine production and drug development by Aderinola Fasipe - Case Western Reserve University The successful translation of mRNA into therapeutics remains difficult due to its instability and delivery challenges. ANABAENA is a system for the production of RNA (ribonucleic acid)-based drugs, suitable for use in cancer treatments, vaccines, tissue regeneration and infectious disease prevention, using the chloroplasts of plants to encase the medication. Therapeutics produced this way can potentially be delivered orally to the mucosal lining in the digestive tract which is connected to the rest of the mucosal immune system. PITAS: Award-winning shape-changing soft robotic systems by Tingyu Cheng - Georgia Institute of Technology Adapting shape-changing interfaces is a technology still in its early stages of development. PITAS is an easily produced, adaptable and reactive smart material that can locally or remotely convey physical information such as shape, color, texture and temperature changes. It works by heating ethanol which in turn forces a silicone matrix to comply by expansion to reduce the pressure. PITAS can be used to create reactive soft-material systems. The event resonates with Dubai’s entrepreneurial spirit and the U.A.E.'s path to COP-28, to be hosted by the country at the end of 2023.