Max Du emerged victorious at the Canada-Wide Science Fair with his innovative project: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to assist individuals experiencing cardiac arrests. His ingenuity was sparked during the Christmas recess of the preceding year. "I received a recreational drone as a gift from my parents, yet I was unable to operate it aloft due to the snowy conditions," Max recounted. "Consequently, I experimented with it indoors, which led me to contemplate the potential for a drone to serve as an automated indoor apparatus that could render assistance to people in need."
Approximately 35,000 Canadians succumb to cardiac arrests annually, with the majority of these incidents occurring beyond the confines of a hospital, resulting in a survival rate of less than 10 percent. Max was convinced that a drone could provide more expeditious assistance and expedite the delivery of vital medical treatments, but to validate this hypothesis, he was compelled to construct the device himself.
The process of refining his drone spanned a period of six months, during which Max's parents had to tolerate the persistent buzzing and crashing of the machine within their domicile. With each innovative feature he devised, such as a telescopic appendage, the drone's overall mass increased, leading to frequent disassembly. This necessitated the procurement of an entirely new set of components. Max persevered, experimenting with more lightweight construction materials until he achieved a more harmonious equilibrium in his design.
Through a methodical process of iterative refinement, the 14-year-old prodigy ultimately perfected his invention. His drone is now capable of manipulating a door handle, navigating through the air, and alighting gently on the ground. An innovative, extendable arm can be deployed to either administer an injection or deliver a life-saving pharmaceutical to a patient. Additionally, an integrated camera facilitates real-time communication with an emergency response team, enabling remote monitoring of the patient's condition.
Max is intent on pursuing the acquisition of a patent to forge alliances within the healthcare sector and bring his invention to fruition. He dedicated his summer to the study of artificial intelligence at Stanford University in California, where he was one of only 32 young scholars chosen globally. Subsequently, he will proceed to the University of Pennsylvania to enroll in a collegiate-level robotics course before resuming his high school studies in September.
