LIVOX

Carlos Edmar Pereira and Paulo Henrique Araujo de Menezes Rodrigues
Livox International LLC
Orlando, FL USA

According to the World Health Organization, there are more than one billion people with disabilities on the planet — about 300 million of them are non-verbal and depend on alternative communication devices. Moved by the needs of his disabled daughter, Livox International CEO and founder Carlos Pereira created Livox, alternative communication software for non-verbal people with disabilities and people with learning impairments.

Through Livox, non-verbal people can speak, learn how to read and write, and understand abstract concepts. What makes the software unique is the use of machine learning and natural language processing, through which Livox shows fewer options on a screen. These options are based on the context of time and location.

Imagine a severely disabled child trying to communicate that he is hungry. Livox is capable of analyzing the user behavior. At the most likely time for him to be hungry, it shows a card saying, “I am hungry” so the person with a disability can say that. Alternative communication devices show dozens of items on a single screen, making selecting what one may want to say an extremely hard task.

The software can be activated simply by saying the name of the disabled person (similar to Hey Google) and then, ask any question. Imagine the following scenario: a disabled girl named Clara is at her wheelchair with her Livox device. Her mother could say: “Clara [Livox starts listening], how many spoons of sugar do you want in your coffee?” Livox understands that the answer is a number and instead of showing dozens of items on a single screen, it shows just the numbers. Then, Clara can activate her answer on the device and Livox will say: “I would like three spoons of sugar.”

Compared to regular alternative communication devices, Livox can speed up the communication of non-verbal people by 20 times.

For more information, visit here .


HONORABLE MENTIONS

The IFs: Learning Coding Without Screens From the Age of Three

Esther Borao, Luis Martin, Fergus Reig, and Borja Latorre,
The IFs, Makeroni Labs,
Zaragoza, Spain

The IFs is the first educational toy to teach coding without the need to know how to read. The family of robots has sensors through different colored pieces that are placed on their heads. The pieces are instructions that are combined as if it were a code — lighting them when it's dark and making them communicate with each other. This allows kids to play with loops, statements, and algorithms while also inventing their own stories.

For more information, visit here .


Beddingo – The First Reinvention of Sheets in 100 Years

Yonatan Guy, Beddingo, Tel Aviv, Israel

The Beddingo sheet system consists of two pieces — a base and a sheet. When attached together, the pieces enable fast and easy sheet changes. Once installed, the base will remain around the mattress and never have to be removed. The Beddingo sheet is then easily attached on and off with Velcro fasteners for easy changing. Corners don't pop off, staying secure all night. All fabrics are made from premium-quality 100% organic cotton.

For more information, visit here .


Braille II

Aliaksei Khomchanka,
Hamburg, Germany

BRAILLE II implements a simple, portable multi-line Braille display compatible with any touchscreen device, allowing users access to education, public services, and work opportunities easier than ever. The device implements a mechanism that can generate Braille symbols and automatically slide them across the user's finger, imitating the tactile feedback they would get reading ordinary Braille text. The user's other hand navigates the screen of a tablet, which reads touch coordinates and transmits a corresponding letter to BRAILLE II, displaying it to the user.

For more information, visit here .


Beachill

Antoine Sayah, Beachill, Keserouan, Lebanon

Beachill is an eco-friendly, smart outdoor mattress that can charge a portable device through its solar panel, keep beverages cold with its thermo-fridge, and store valuables in its waterpoof and sun-proof storage pocket. Beachill is made of Dralon acrylic and is foldable, washable, and easy to carry due to its light weight (1.5 kilograms). Users of any height can be accommodated due to its folding technique.

For more information, visit here .

See the rest of this year's winners: