UNICEF has launched a contest called "Wearables for Good Challenge" which reached out to engineers, do-gooders, executives, computer scientists, inventors and innovators to come up with a device that can be worn by children to optimize their health. Kushi Baby and SaoPen were announced winners this month, awarded with $15,000 and assistance to bring the devices into the market.
As reported in NPR, the contest received 2000 entries and submitted 250 design submissions from 46 countries across 6 continents. The participants are not required to actually make the device, the sketches or designs were accepted. However some participants did pass the actual device.
Meanwhile, Daily Mail reports that UNICEF, ARM (A technology development company) and Frog (A Strategy Firm) joined forces to host the event. According to Erica Kochi, co-lead and co-founder of UNICEF Innovation:
"UNICEF scans he near-future horizon focusing on areas undergoing rapid changes that could have a significant impact on children. By showing how the wearables and sensors can be re-imagined for low-tech and unconnected environments, our winners were able to demonstrate the potential life-saving benefits these innovations can offer."
Aside from receiving the prize money to assist with the production of their devices, both winners will also be mentored by the event partners.
"Both of our winners absolutely fit these criteria, and we love that the winning products are designed to be used by the children themselves," says Dominic Vergine of the ARM.
So here are the winners of "Wearables for Good Challenge" as described in the Daily Mail:
"SoaPen is a crayon-like soap that combines engagement with hygiene.
The personal tool encourages children from ages three to six years old to wash their hands regularly.
Teachers and parents can use the hygiene tool to draw or write on a child's skin, which makes the act of hand washing more fun, while reducing the spread of disease.
SoaPen has a screw on cap, which loops in a string allowing the user to easily carry it by wearing it around their neck, wrist or tying it to their backpack.
The packaging carries informative illustrations to educate parents about the critical areas to be marked and the importance of hand washing.
The Khushi Baby system enables access to culturally appropriate wearable digital medical records, even in the most remote and isolated areas.'
With the prize money, the team plans to expand from monitoring the vaccination progress of 1,000 children in 100 villages to a larger beneficiary base in areas beyond India where its digital system can streamline access and delivery to health care.
Khushi Baby also has hopes of buildings its systems server to broader populations and medical applications."
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