Seven contestants from season 16 of Stars of Science have advanced to the ‘Pitch It’ stage, where they will compete for a chance to claim the Top Arab Innovator award for 2024.
Stars of Science offers Arab innovators a platform to turn ideas into practical solutions with the support of seasoned mentors.
Contestants will push their scientific knowledge to the limit, competing against time and each other to present their groundbreaking ideas to a discerning panel of judges and ultimately win a share of the Grand Prize.
Each candidate in Stars of Science presents an idea that addresses critical regional and global challenges, showcasing the power of modern research, unprecedented information accessibility, and collaboration.
Commenting on the competition, Stars of Science Jury Panellist Prof. Fouad Mrad discusses the concept.
“Today’s innovators are exposed to a plethora of knowledge from around the world, shaping their perspectives and solutions. It’s important to develop solutions that cater to the specific needs of the Arab world rather than solely adopting global trends, especially in AI innovation driven by local language and data models,” says Mrad.
The line up of the final seven is impressive. One of the contestants, Algerian-based Khadidja Fellah Arbi who has a Ph.D. in Biomedical Instrumentation, is developing an ECG-based Glucometer, a wearable, non-invasive device that uses AI to measure blood glucose levels via electrocardiogram analysis.
Another contestant, Lebanon-based Emma Sleiman is working with a team on the ADHD Multi-Model Classifier, a VR system that diagnoses ADHD using EEG data, eye gaze, limb movement tracking, and cognitive performance metrics. At just 19 years old, Sleiman, a pre-medical student at the American University of Beirut, Sleiman says that she is driven by a desire to improve the diagnosis process for ADHD.
Addressing cost barriers in advanced medical treatments like gene therapy, which can exceed USD 1 million per patient, Contestant from Syria, another Ph.D from Griffith University Australia, Yaman Tayyar, is developing a novel microfluidic mixer to manufacture Lipid Nanoparticles for the delivery of Gene Medicine. This kit aims to simplify gene therapy creation, making it affordable and accessible to researchers worldwide.
To tackle antibiotic resistance, which causes at least 700,000 deaths globally each year, the fourth finalist Egyptian Mariam Montaser, who holds a master’s degree in microbiology and immunology from the University of Nottingham in the UK, is working on a Testing Kit for Bacterial Respiratory Infections. This point-of-care tool uses a nasopharyngeal swab and colorimetric changes to identify bacterial traits, helping people make informed decisions about antibiotic use.
Further pushing the limits of healthcare, Tunisian Haytham Yahyaoui, who holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Quebec, is creating the Alzheimer Early Detection Application. This mobile app uses AI and machine learning to diagnose early-stage Alzheimer’s by analyzing linguistic and acoustic aspects of recorded voices, inspired by his elderly neighbor’s struggles with memory loss.
On the environmental sustainability front, Nada Raafat Elkharashi’s response to the millions of tons of electronic waste annually is the invention of the Self-Powering Biosticker (Electric Skin), a biomaterial generating enough electricity from air humidity using protein nanowires from bacteria, aiming to power small electronic devices. Elkharashi, who holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Design from Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, is motivated by witnessing the challenges faced by individuals in regions with unstable electricity supplies.
Preserving cultural heritage with technology is another hot topic. Inspired by her passion for preserving the cultural heritage of Morocco, home to over 41,000 mosques, Sanaa Belkoutbi introduced the Mosque Drone Inspector, an unmanned flying drone equipped with RGB cameras and machine learning to analyze mosque internal structures, blending tradition with modern technology. Belkoutbi is an accomplished technology and communications engineer with a specialization in embedded systems from the University of Marrakech.
Notes from the Editor: Stars of Science airs from 7 September 2024 to 19 October 2024 on five channels in MENA and online. For scheduling times, visit the broadcast guide.
