A project titled "AI-Controlled Robotic Automation in Health Care" was developed by three students from St. Joseph Higher Secondary School under the supervision of two teachers. The innovative project presents an affordable, artificial intelligence (AI)-based integrated healthcare ecosystem.
The system includes an ESP32-powered stroke rehabilitation glove and a voice-and gesture-controlled adaptive bionic arm, designed to make therapy-based healthcare more accessible.
The smart glove instantly transmits exercise data to a central web platform. This enables physicians to monitor patients'' progress remotely without requiring repeated hospital or clinic visits and to adjust therapy plans as needed. Meanwhile, the machine learning-powered bionic arm adapts to the patient''s natural movements, making personalised and affordable assistive care possible from home.
According to the innovators, this combination of affordable Internet of Things (IoT) technology and adaptive robotics will help reduce dependence on hospital beds, lower the cost of long-term rehabilitation, and provide effective treatment within patients'' own environments instead of relying on expensive clinic-based services.
Among projects submitted nationwide through the three-stage "Startup, Science Project and Innovation Idea Showcasing Program," St. Joseph Higher Secondary School's innovation was selected as the country's best. In addition, student teams from nine other educational institutions received awards for outstanding innovation ideas, science projects, and startup concepts in various fields.
Each student in the ten winning teams at the national competition received 20,000 taka and a certificate. The teachers of each winning team received 30,000 taka and a certificate. The organisers also pledged to take initiatives to help implement these innovative ideas in the future. Each team consisted of three students and two teachers.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presented the awards to the winners at the closing ceremony held on Monday at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre. Also present at the event were the Prime Minister's spouse and Ziaur Rahman Foundation Vice President Zubaida Rahman.
The other nine winners
Second place went to Sandhani School and College in Meherpur for its "Smart Waste Management and Monitoring System." Third place was awarded to Dinajpur Government College for its "NeuroSign" concept, designed to improve communication for people with disabilities. The technology can instantly translate a disabled person''s hand gestures into understandable language and convert spoken language into sign-language images in real time. Fourth place went to Parbatipur Cantonment Public School and College in Dinajpur for its "NextGen Agriculture" project.
The remaining winners were 5th: Adamjee Cantonment College, Dhaka; 6th: Sharifabad School and College, Kishoreganj, Nilphamari; 7th: Phulki Shohojpath School, Chattogram; 8th: Kushtia Zilla School; 9th: Narail Government Girls'' High School and 10th Golachipa Notun Jame Mosque-Adjacent Alia Madrasa, Patuakhali.
Competition held in three stages
The competition was organised for the first time under the Educational Excellence Support Scheme of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), under the Ministry of Education.
Open to students and teachers from Grades 6 through 12, the competition was conducted in three stages: upazila (sub-district) or metropolitan education zone, district, and national levels.
The national finals marked the conclusion of a vibrant festival celebrating the talent, scientific inquiry, and entrepreneurial thinking of young students.
According to DSHE, the first round was held on 12 June across 521 upazilas and metropolitan education zones, with participation from 8,029 teams, comprising 27,204 students and 16,058 teachers.
A total of 546 teams advanced from the upazila level to the district competition on 14 June. From there, 101 teams qualified for the national final round.
National finals and exhibition
The exhibition and judging at the national level were held on Sunday. The final exhibition and award ceremony took place on Monday.
A total of 101 teams, selected from district and metropolitan-level competitions, presented their innovation ideas, science projects, and startup concepts. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, along with other guests, toured the exhibition stalls and viewed the participants'' projects.
Earlier, at the open grounds of the Bangladesh–China Friendship Conference Centre, the Prime Minister inaugurated the "One Child, One Tree" campaign by planting a tree. The initiative was launched simultaneously in 29,621 secondary-level educational institutions across the country.
Under the program, each educational institution planted one fruit tree, one timber (forest) tree, and one medicinal plant. After inaugurating the campaign, the Prime Minister joined the innovation competition.
"You will lead Bangladesh forward"
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman referred to both the innovation competition and the recently concluded Primary School Gold Cup Football Tournament. Addressing the students, he said, "We want every initiative we undertake to produce tangible results—results that will help build the Bangladesh of the future and move the country forward."
He further told the students, "Everything we are trying to do, more or less, is centered around you. You will take Bangladesh forward. You will build Bangladesh."
At the ceremony, one student from each of the winning teams shared their experiences and expressed their feelings about the competition.
The closing ceremony was chaired by Abdul Khaleq, Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division. Other speakers included Education Minister A NM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, the Prime Minister''s Adviser on Education Mahdi Amin, and Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel, Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education.
The event concluded with cultural performances presented by teachers and students.