Two Saigon high school students made a big impression at an international science-engineering fair in the US for their all-terrain wheelchair design.
Nguyen Hoang Ngan and Pham Thanh Truc, seniors at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in District 5, unveiled their TN98 wheelchair which can cover rough and uneven surfaces earlier this year.
The design drew the attention of the press after it took home first prize at the 2016 National Science Contest for high school students in the southern region in March.
Following this success, the duo submitted thier creation for the Engineering Mechanics category at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2016 (Intel ISEF 2016), taking home third prize on May 13, reports Tuoi Tre.
The competition was held in Phoenix, Arizona and attracted more than 1,700 high school students from over 70 countries, regions, and territories who showcased their work while competing for more than US$5 million in prizes, according to the competition’s website.
The vehicle is operated by a controller and features a sensor which automatically adjusts the chair's position for the rider. Its rubber caterpillar tracks help to stabilize the chair even when traveling over uneven surfaces, and the vehicle is capable of climbing steps with up to a 30-degree gradient.
Three other Vietnamese groups also took home some third place hardware at the event, including those from the High School for Gifted Students under the Hanoi National University of Education, the High School for Gifted Students under the Hanoi University of Science, and Thang Long High School for the Gifted in Lam Dong.
These aren’t the first Vietnamese students to find success at the annual tech event. Two groups of Vietnamese students took home hardware at Intel ISEF 2014 - one for their electronic braille display and the other for their rice-based biofuel.
[Top photo via Tuoi Tre]
