Twelve of the Arab world's most promising and remarkable young innovators beat thousands of rival applicants to be selected as candidates on the seventh season of Stars of Science, Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development 's (QF) 'edutainment reality' TV programme on MBC4.

 

This selection concludes the casting phase and marks the onset of the highly competitive engineering stage of the programme, in which candidates work tirelessly with mentors to turn their concepts into prototypes; further advancing QF's mission of unlocking human potential in the next generation of aspiring young science and technology innovators, said a statement.

 

The chosen candidates have roots in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Tunisa, reflecting the diversity that has characterised Stars of Science since its inception, it said.

 

Their distinct inventions feature smart technology that can solve problems in fields as varied as medical diagnostics, mobility for the physically challenged, sports, renewable energy and nutrition.

 

On the first three episodes of Stars of Science, thousands of applicants from across the Middle East and North Africa were screened in a multi-country casting tour by a panel of highly experienced jurors. 

 

In the latest Majlis episode, jury members selected twelve of the seventeen shortlisted applicants to become candidates, advancing them to the next phase of the competition, held at Qatar Science and Technology Park, a member of Qatar Foundation.

 

As candidates enter the critical engineering stage, which spans three episodes, they will compete against each other in three separate groups labeled blue, red and purple. 

 

To promote both teamwork and friendly rivalry, each group will develop their inventions in the same laboratory.  There, they will benefit from the advice and support of mentors, who are professionals in many fields, including engineering, design, executive coaching and psychology.  

 

The innovators' efforts - showcased in one episode per group of four candidates - will be evaluated by an expert jury.  Two candidates per group will advance to the next stage of the programme.

 

The blue group contains Saudi Arabia's Hassan Albalawi, who will develop his idea for an 'EEG Cap Analyzer.'  He will join Egypt's Hazem Khaled (Sign Language EMG Sleeve), Palestine's Nadim Rifai (Rewarding Behavior Treadmill), and Tunisia'sNaouel Ayari (Smart Refrigerator).

 

The red group will feature Lebanon's Adib Al Ghossein (Ergonomic Activity Desk Lamp), Syria's Yaman Abou Jieb (Solar Washing Machine), Jordan's Maymoona Ayesh (Date Pits Filter in Desalination), and Algeria's Mourad Mohamed Benosman(ECG Wearable Stress Analyzer).

 

The purple group will see the Saudi Arabia's Abdullah Aldossary work on a prototype of his 'Airport Smart Chair,' along with Tunisia's Fawzy Othman (Robotic Goalie Trainer), Egypt's Omar Hamid (Prayer Chair), and Palestine's Hussam Al Hinnawi (Automatic Stair Climber Machine).

 

Youssif Abdulrahman, longtime juror and general manager of Qatar Shell Research and Technology Centre (QSRTC), said: "With each season, the quality, scope and variety of the inventions presented continue to increase.

 

"While this trend speaks to the great skill of Arab innovators in shaping the future of science and technology, it turns evaluation into an especially challenging task. The journey these young people are embarking on will be greatly inspiring for many, driving interest in science and technology innovation in the region." - TradeArabia News Service