Sustainability

Ramneek Kaur Ahluwalia took home the winning prize in 2022  with a mobility aid that uses technology to help the visually impaired.

When it comes to solving some of society’s biggest challenges, sometimes we reflect on what we need in our own lives. And that’s what Ramneek Kaur Ahluwalia sought out to do when she entered her innovative tech-for-good idea into the Solve for Tomorrow Competition.

The engineer from Ilford who was 19 at the time, used her experience as someone living with a visual impairment to create MyVision, a mobility aid that uses AI, lIdAR and GPS technology to help others  in the visually impaired community navigate their way around life. Ramneek’s hopes were that this solution would lead to less reliance  on the traditional white cane. 

Ramneek was led by mentor Antoni Pakowski, Innovation Strategy Lead at Samsung Design Europe, who said at the time: “Solve for Tomorrow is a great initiative which aims to inspire the youth of today to help solve some of the growing concerns facing communities. Working with Ramneek on her concept for MyVision has been so rewarding. Her passion for the project and helping the visually impaired community is an inspiration and I look forward to seeing what she’ll achieved over the next six months.”

Ramneek was equally excited about her time on the programme, telling us: “Throughout the competition, we’ve been able to work with incredible mentors and have learnt so much from the other finalists. I’m really looking forward to developing MyVision as a tool to help the visually impaired community navigate their lives in a simpler way.”

Rameneek walked away with a £10,000 cash prize and enjoyed 6 months of expert mentorship from Samsung and Digital Catapult so she could continue to develop her innovative idea.

“I honestly can’t believe I’ve won! More than 2 million people in the UK have sight loss and every day 250 people will start to lose their sight – yet we’re seriously lacking in advancements in technology for the sight impaired,” she said.

Since winning Solve for Tomorrow, Rameneek has continued to make waves in the industry. Her efforts and achievements in this space were further recognised when she was nominated and shortlisted in the TechWomen100 Awards in 2022.

Ramneek has also joined the Stemettes Youth Board as their  Accessibility Consultant in order to share her story and show fellow Stemettes that regardless of their background, ethnicity and disability, they have a vital role to play within STEM industries.

Read full Samsung press release here.