The Next
Breakthrough
Student-led Inspiring Innovations
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An App Turns Sign Language to Text
“The idea came out of our belief that communication is a fundamental human right,” said
Sulaiman Shloudi, Tala Abdel Halim, and Muhammad Shabaneh, a team of computer science
students at Birzeit University. The team recently built an application to overcome one of the biggest
hurdles that the deaf face when communicating with people who do not know sign language. The
application they devised acts as a translator, translating the hand motions of sign language into
written texts.
According to the World Federation of the Deaf, each sign language has its own grammar, as well
as multiple dialects, and is used differently on various occasions. Therefore, the team designed the
application in such a way that it can automatically analyze images and video in different backgrounds
and lights.
2
Robot Cleans Hard-to-Reach Solar Panels
As the drive for energy conservation and efficiency continues, innovators, engineers and
companies are re-examining every aspect of their operations to see where improvements can
be made and technology adopted.
Musalem Barghouthi, a student in the Mechanical and Mechatronics Department at Birzeit University,
designed a robot for cleaning solar panels. This new competitive technology will mitigate the adverse
effects of dust, which reduces the effectiveness of photovoltaic cells in solar panels. The robot is able to
clean all panels of different sizes and shapes, and, with the increased effectiveness, will help spread the
use of solar panels and green energy in general.
3
Smart E-bike Senses the Road
The old bicycle is increasingly becoming a hotbed of innovation, with innovators working
hard to reinvent its main components. A team of engineering students – Jeries Abedrabbo,
Omar Jebreel, Lujayn Kirresh and Diaa’ Tawil – is continuing these efforts to create a new automatic
bicycle with a Palestinian twist.
By linking three methods of designing (mechanical, electrical and software), the team members are
developing a “smart” automatic bicycle that can both improve the bike riding experience and provide
an environmentally friendly and economically viable option for transportation. The bicycle will
provide the speed and gear ratios needed, depending on driving conditions and user preference, and
will make sure that the various parts are receiving the proper power in the most efficient way. The
bicycle will also sense the conditions of the road and activate certain components in response.
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Al Ghadeer - Fall 2018
Birzeit University
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