Team “May” from the College of Sciences Wins First Place at the Women’s Digital Health Hackathon
مشاركة
15 Oct 2024
Team “May” from the College of Sciences at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University achieved first place in the “Innovation in Treatment and Medical Technologies” track at the Women’s Digital Health Hackathon, organized by Jouf University, amid competition from 60 teams representing 10 Saudi universities. Team “May” was crowned for its participation through an innovation specifically designed for patients with multiple sclerosis. The innovation provides localized massage assistance for patients, with control managed through a mobile application. The project was developed by students Dalal Al-Mutrudi, Al-Jazi Al-Qadi, and Islam Barnawi from the Medical Physics Program at the College of Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. Dr. Khuloud bint Saad Al-Muqrin, a faculty member at the College of Sciences and supervisor of Team “May’s” project, explained that this achievement represents the outcome of continuous months of planning and intensive meetings, during which the team demonstrated seriousness and dedication in developing innovative ideas that meet women’s needs, as well as their ability to face challenges. She emphasized the importance of participating in such competitions in alignment with the progress witnessed in the education sector in the Kingdom and in harmony with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to prepare a generation capable of confronting challenges and achieving sustainable development that leads the country toward a bright economic future. The “May” innovation, which has obtained a protection certificate from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, seeks to enhance the sense of independence among women diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and to alleviate the psychological and physical burdens they face as a result of the disease. The innovation met all the criteria required to win first place in the Innovation in Treatment and Medical Technologies track, including innovation and creativity, potential impact, feasibility of application, and design and implementation. It is worth noting that the Women’s Digital Health Hackathon is a technical competition aimed at promoting the concept of women’s digital health in the Kingdom by targeting female programmers, system developers, and entrepreneurs interested in digital innovation. The hackathon includes several tracks, such as raising awareness of women’s mental and physical health, nutrition and physical fitness, disease prevention and early detection, reproductive health and pregnancy support, and innovation in treatments and medical technologies. The latter focuses on developing innovative medical technologies and devices to improve women’s health and well-being, with an emphasis on new and improved treatments.