After over 4 months of research, Le Van Day, a final year student from the Da Nang University of Science and Technology, has successfully created a multi-functional positioning device for the elderly. 

Le Van Day and his ‘Simple Watch’ device

The device, named ‘Simple Watch’, features global positioning (GPS), phone answering and calling, and heartbeat and body temperature measurement functions.    

If there are any abnormalities with the user’s heartbeat or his/her body temperature, a warning signal, plus the user’s current position, will be texted to pre-installed phone numbers.  In addition, the smart device features speed-dial buttons and removable headphones to help the user call their relatives in an emergency.  It is also able to make connect with nearby speaker systems to inform people close by about the user’s health condition so that they can call for help.

In order to earn enough money to create a 4 million VND trial device, Day worked very hard at many part-time jobs during his free time, including as an MC, an instrumentalist, and a tutor. 

Day’s ‘Simple Watch’ device won first prize in the central and highlands regional qualifying round of the FameLab 2017 Viet Nam Contest in late March, and third prize in the final round in late April.  Since it first started in 2005, this competition has really taken off, and it’s now held in over 25 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and the United States.

The ‘Simple Watch’ has already made it onto the final shortlist of the ‘Startup Runway’ competition which is being organised by the University of Da Nang.

Currently, Day is concentrating his efforts on perfecting his device.  In the future, he plans to create a similar product to help parents monitor where their children are at all times.