Tech Desk 
May 05, 2025
A group of Pakistani middle school students has brought pride to the nation by winning the Social Innovation award at Teknofest 2024, which is one of the world's largest aerospace and technology competitions.
The competition is famous for highlighting student innovations, particularly those addressing real-world issues using technology.
Emotion detector for disabled
Their project, the Emotion Detector Gadget for Quadriplegics, was designed to assist linguistically paralysed individuals—those who cannot speak or move—by detecting their emotions. The gadget is intended to enhance communication for such individuals and aid their mental health.
In an interview with Dawn.com, team member Inaya stated, "My experience at Teknofest was phenomenal. We gave our hearts to the project, and it paid off. All the challenges we had were worth it. This win is for our team, our school, and for Pakistan."
The team contested against 268 finalist teams and more than 1,000 students from six nations. They were shortlisted from more than 47,000 applicants from 22 countries.
Their instructor Gohar added, "This victory proves that hard work and innovation can achieve anything." He described how the device was specifically created to assist individuals who cannot speak or convey emotions properly.
This win emphasises how Pakistani students in the field of STEM are making a difference on global platforms through intelligent and effective ideas. It also emphasises how young minds can develop devices that bring about actual change.
