FIlipino students’ Smart Helmet takes the spotlight at SIIF 2024. By Dorothy Del Rosario and Hannah Aliswag. Courtesy: DOST - Region 2

MANILA — The growing popularity of motorcycle taxis and motorcycles in general as transport options has come with an alarming number of motorcycle-related accidents and concerns for rider safety. 

This issue inspired three senior high school students from Lanna National High School (LNHS) at Tumauini, Isabela to develop a “smart helmet” that uses AI to prioritize the safety of motorcycle riders.

The project, titled “SMART HELMET: The Head Covering Emergency Alarm System, Life Saver and Monitoring Device” earned a Silver Prize Award at the 2024 Seoul International Invention Fair (SIIF) — an international fair where inventors from around the world showcase their innovations.

Former LNHS student Miraleih Jaime, one of the inventors of the helmet, presented the device along with research adviser Peter John Bacani, representing their team at the fair in Seoul, South Korea late last month.

Along with the Silver Prize Award, Jaime took home the title of Best Young Inventor of SIIF 2024.

In addition to Jaime and Bacani, the team included former LNHS students Wendilyn Cabanilla and Roldan Guiuo Jr., as well as mentors Jessie Sibbaluca and Lilybeth Castro.

Photo from DOST Technology Application and Promotion Institute

DESIGNED FOR RIDER SAFETY

The AI-powered helmet is designed as a safety solution for the motorcycle community  

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Bacani highlighted the three key features of the helmet: accident tracking, drowsiness detection, and alcohol detection.

Unlike other smart helmets that only focus on calls and music through Bluetooth connection, this model comes with an emergency alarm system connected to a mobile app.

The system can sense when a rider has been involved in an accident and automatically sends the rider’s location to emergency contacts including hospitals, local government units, and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) offices.

The helmet also monitors rider fatigue and drowsiness. If a rider closes their eyes for three seconds, an alarm immediately sounds to alert and wake them.

To prevent drunk driving, the helmet is equipped with alcohol detection and will automatically shut down when high alcohol level is detected.

FROM SCHOOL PROJECT TO INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Initially, the project started as an academic requirement for a research subject during their Grade 11 year.

It took over a year to complete the project, as the team continuously worked on it until they finished senior high school.

Bacani said that they had to jump through hoops before they reached and competed at an international level.

Before competing internationally, the project previously championed the SIBOL Category of the National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE) and Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits NCR Cluster (ClusterRICE), both by the Department of Science and Technology’s Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI).

OBSTACLES

However, their journey did not come without challenges, as the coaches also shared that the development of smart helmet has come with several obstacles.

One of the issues the team has faced is the sensitivity of the sensors, which must be programmed accurately to detect precise value. Bacani emphasized that the sensors could cause trigger panic if it’s not programmed properly.

“Yung sa accident [detection], para maiwasan namin yung false sending of information, nagdaan po kami sa mga experimental process. At the same time, du’n sa calibration ng sensor ng alcohol namin, it takes time para makuha namin yung right value para maiwasan yung mga panic,” he added.

(For the accident detection, to avoid sending false information, we went through experimental processes. At the same time, with the calibration of our alcohol sensor, it took time to get the right value to prevent panic.)

Moreover, mentor Jessie Sibbaluca said that the helmet’s application includes emergency alarms that required programming.

“May times po kasi na nagbabago ang mga emergency numbers lalo na po dito sa amin… That's why every now and then, ina-update po namin yung mga emergency alarm numbers and systems na naka-include sa smart helmet,” Sibbaluca added.

(There are times when emergency numbers change, especially here in our area... That's why every now and then, we update the emergency alarm numbers and systems included in the smart helmet.)

The purpose is to guarantee fast and well-coordinated action in case of an accident which can allow authorities to take action promptly.

Bacani is an engineer and took on the work of setting up the helmet’s sensor which helped the researchers cut costs.

“Kung ipapa-program pa kasi namin sa labas yan, talagang mapapagastos kami. Advantage na siguro ng mga bata na nandito ako para tulungan sila,” he said.

(If we had to outsource the programming, it would have really cost us a lot. I guess it's an advantage for the students that I'm here to help them.)

Overall, the team spent less than P3,000 on creating the device.

“It was a fantastic opportunity to apply yung technical knowledge and to collaborate with the team sa Pilipinas,” Miraleigh said.

(It was a fantastic opportunity to apply technical knowledge and collaborate with the team in the Philippines.)

The competition in South Korea served as a great platform and learning experience for the team, she added, noting that they received helpful feedback from judges and peers on how to refine and enhance their project.

“Considering that we are not a popular school… We were overwhelmed with the prestige that this innovation have brought to us—not only for us but of course, the entire school,” mentor Lilybeth Castro said.

THE FUTURE OF THE NEXT-GEN HELMET

In the future, Bacani shared that they are collaborating with DOST to bring the smart helmet to market by 2025.

“For now, talagang naghahanap pa lang kami ng mga partners at d’yan pa lang, tinutulungan na kami ng DOST,” he said.

(For now, we are still looking for partners, and even at this stage, the DOST is already helping us.)

Currently, the team is focusing on refining the smart helmet prototype and seeking manufacturers such as semiconductor companies, given that their project is aligned with electronics.

They are also planning to find the right partners to collaborate with and turn their project into a marketable product.

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