Primary school students' smart wristband for miners places second in Türkiye at TEKNOFEST

The Derin Nefes Team, made up of primary school students, has developed a wristband prototype to monitor the health of miners working underground in real time. The project won second place in Türkiye in the Healthy Living Category, Primary School Level, of the Technologies for Humanity Competition held as part of TEKNOFEST Southeast.

How does the wristband work?

According to teacher Hatice Akyüz, the bands contain pulse, temperature and movement sensors. The data they collect can be followed on a panel at the control center. The panel is also reachable over the internet, and each band is registered in the system under an ID unique to a miner.

Nabzın düşmesi ya da aniden çok yükselmesi, sıcaklığın aşırı artması veya düşmesi, hareketin aşırı artması ya da hareketsizliğin oluşması durumunda bileklik sinyal vermeye başlıyor. Hem bilekliğin üzerindeki sesli uyarı cihazı çalışıyor hem de kontrol merkezine uyarı gidiyor.

Hatice Akyüz

The team is also working on detecting gas-related hazards. Under the plan, gas sensors will be placed in different sections of the work area. If dangerous gas is detected, all the bands will sound an alarm together and the control center will immediately learn of the situation.

Purpose of the project

Akyüz said they developed the project so miners' health could be tracked instantly underground and help could reach them quickly in emergencies. Team captain Tuğrahan Altuntaş said they started from the possibility that miners might be unable to call for help when in trouble.

En büyük hedefimiz, madencilerin yaşadığı küçük bir riskte teknik ekip yönlendirip madencinin hayatını kaybetme riskini düşürmekti. Emeğimizin karşılığını aldığımız için mutluyuz.

Ekrem Duha İncebay

School Principal Davut Güney said they were proud of the result and credited it to the students' determination, the teacher's guidance and cooperation between school and families. Akyüz added that the children presenting their projects to visitors at the final and having photos taken with people they look up to was very valuable for them.