VietNamNet Bridge - Scientific research by two female students at the Hanoi University of Science and Technology Tran Thi Thanh and Phung Ngoc Ha could result in a product which can help the disabled to communicate.

The machine helps the disabled communicate

Thanh, a graduate student at the Biomedical Engineering Faculty of the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications, an arm of the Hanoi University of Science & Technology, explains that her product, when completed, will be similar to the machine which emits a voice, invented by famous physicist Stephen Hawking. 

The research work of Thanh and Ha is titled "Classification of characters in English alphabet through P300 brainwave detection", or “P300 speller”.

“We have completed the algorithm. We are taking the next steps to display characters on the screen,” Thanh said.

P300 speller is a brain-computer communication based on P300 brainwave, which helps users ‘write’ characters on computer’s screen without having to use any muscle exercise. This communication is based on detecting the presence of P300 waves in the electrical signal from the electrodes placed on the scalp. 

While Thanh and Ha’s research work aims to improve communication ability, the ‘Robot Hand’ product created by a group of students from mechatronics class aims to liberalize human labor.

‘Robot Hand’ is one of outstanding research works of this year’s scientific research season at the Hanoi University of Science & Technology.

Nguyen Minh Quang, a member of the robotic hand inventing team, said their product now can hold objects well, but they are still working on the arm to make it ‘smarter’, and to replace basic activities, such as cooking meals or folding clothes.

Robot Hand simulates human hands, from joints to ligaments. Quang said in Vietnam, there is still no robotic hand which has such complexity and flexibility. 

“It is easy to make an arm, but it is more complicated to create a hand with the ability of holding objects,” he said, adding that the team plans to make a perfect hand soon.

The Robot Hand and P300 Speller are two of 21 research works which received first prizes at the Hanoi University of Science & Technology’s competition for technology students.

The competition is an annual event of the leading technology school in Vietnam. This year’s competition attracted students from 22 faculties and institutes. As many as 377 research works conducted by 906 students under the instruction of 454 lecturers were brought to the competition. 

Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, deputy head of the Science & Technology, said many projects were found having high feasibility and were ready for commercial development.

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