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The Ukrainian Future, a national competition for innovative business projects, was held for the first time in Ukraine at the Junior Academy of Sciences. Participants competed for the chance to present their developments at the final of a global competition in New York. According to Iryna Bystrova, head of the business incubator, the children intuitively selected industries where their projects could potentially thrive. This include IT, military tech, healthcare, and the environment.
Bystrova discussed the competition during an interview with Hromadske Radio.
«We didn’t restrict the industries. The only thing we were interested in—and the children intuitively sensed—were sectors where their projects could be promising, particularly in healthcare. IT was also a dominant field, with various projects utilizing neural networks and artificial intelligence in different applications. Some projects were focused on military tech, which unfortunately reflects the current times. A number of projects also addressed healthcare, and I’m happy to note that environmental issues weren’t overlooked, with some projects dedicated to waste recycling», — Bystrova explained.
The competition also featured a project with a highly relevant topic—energy. A bladeless wind turbine was developed, estimated to potentially generate up to 5 kW of electricity in the future. However, the project, called Viterok, did not make the list of winners.
«The Viterok project is a small, portable bladeless wind turbine. We estimate that it could generate up to 5 kW of electricity in the future. This is a significant development, and it caught everyone’s attention», — said Bystrova.
The first place in the competition went to an app designed for rehabilitation exercises. Its innovation lies in using artificial intelligence and a camera to monitor exercise accuracy, providing feedback on where adjustments are needed, which is crucial for the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process.
«The OUTEX project took first place. It already has a beta version (mobile and web) that focuses on lower limb rehabilitation using artificial intelligence. There are plenty of sports apps out there, but what makes this one unique is its ability to track exercise accuracy without the need for trainers. The camera monitors performance and provides friendly, convenient feedback on how to correct movements, ensuring the exercises are done 100% correctly. The success of a rehabilitation course relies on this», — Bystrova noted.
Second place was awarded to a military tech project from a young team in Kyiv Region. The team developed a device that provides a solution for controlling drones during electronic warfare, allowing automatic frequency changes to maintain control of the drone regardless of external factors.
«Second place went to a very interesting project by a young team—the average age is just 16—from Kyiv Region. The PhAInix project offers military solutions, specifically for drone control during electronic warfare. The device automatically changes protocols and frequencies, ensuring the drone remains operational despite external disruptions», — explained Bystrova.
Third place went to a healthcare-tech startup that developed a device to diagnose and warn about the presence of infectious diseases in the human body.
«Third place went to the Bear Band project, a healthcare-tech startup. The project combines a device developed by the team with software powered by artificial intelligence and neural networks. It can diagnose and provide early warnings of infectious diseases in the human body», — said Bystrova.