Rehab Tool for Stroke Patients Wins Singapore National James Dyson Award
A student has bagged the top prize at this year's Singapore National James Dyson Award, inventing a rehab tool that helps stroke patients exercise safely without a caretaker.
Called Rehabit, the intuitive tools are designed to guide patients through movement patterns and exercise routines as they relearn, regain and recover their mobility. The equipment set consists of four products, all of which focus on upper-limb rehabilitation: shoulder inner and outer rotation, forearm pronation and supination, wrist flexion and extension and finger extension.
John Tay, the inventor, is a recent industrial design graduate of the National University of Singapore. He was inspired to invent Rehabit after seeing what his father went through after suffering a stroke.
"My father suffered a stroke and I saw the struggles and frustrations he faced when therapy centres did not have proper equipment and instead relied on makeshift methods such as towels and plastic bags during treatment," he said. "This motivated me to invent Rehabit to help patients like my father gain a higher chance of recovery during their rehabilitation."
Tay plans to reinvest the S$9,000 he'll receive from the award back into Rehabit, with the goal of eventually commercialising his invention. Currently, he already has his products in multiple rehabilitation centres across Singapore, but he hopes to take it a step further to be able to help more patients in their recovery.
"I feel strongly encouraged with Rehabit winning the national award for the James Dyson Award. I am excited
as this will give me the opportunity to reach out and help so many more patients in their recovery journey," added Tay.
Being the Singapore National Winner, Rehabit progresses to the international stage of the James Dyson Award, where it'll compete with inventions from other countries for even bigger cash rewards. The annual competition taps engineers across the world to invent products that solve a problem, be it a daily life annoyance or a global issue.
Entries are first judged at the national level by a panel of external judges and a Dyson engineer. Each market awards a National winner that'll go on to represent the country at the international stage. From these winners, a panel of Dyson engineers narrows the entries down to 20. These remaining projects are then reviewed by Sir James Dyson himself who selects his international winners.
This year's international shortlist is scheduled to be announced on 12 October, with winners being awarded on 16 November.
There are also two runners-up that are recognised on the national stage of the competition. For this year, the runners-up feature an automated farming system that is mounted vertically on building exteriors and a rollerball that helps eczema patients relieve itches without damaging the skin.
A student has bagged the top prize at this year's Singapore National James Dyson Award, inventing Rehabit, a set of rehab equipment that helps stroke patients exercise safely without a caretaker.
John Tay, the inventor, said he was inspired to invent the product after seeing what his father went through after suffering a stroke.
He'll receive S$9,000 as a reward, and Rehabit progresses to the international stage of the James Dyson Award, where it'll compete against inventions from other countries.