Silas Chan's Innovation Showcase
​
Smart Soundball
The improvement of Soundball Tennis for the visually impaired through engineering.
Inspiration
In 2021, my half-brother Karl was born with hearing loss as well as multiple birth defects. Witnessing his struggles throughout the years gave me an impetus to improve disabled people's well-being. According to the World Health Organization, people with disabilities are
twice as likely as others to have depression as well as other various physical illnesses (World, 2023). Thus, I started looking for solutions.
​
After reading an article by lifeplan.org on the topic of "Top Benefits of Disability Sports and Recreation", I learned that disability sports have lots of social and physical benefits. Thus, I started surfing the internet for disability sports which sparked my interest. One day, I discovered a sport called Soundball Tennis, which enables the visually impaired to play tennis. The game utilizes the player's hearing to locate the Soundball by listening to the rattles located in the ball.
As a tennis player myself, I found this disability sport extremely interesting and decided to look deeper into this sport. Thus, I went onto YouTube and Facebook to learn more about the challenges players face while playing this sport. Turns out, the main challenge was to locate the direction of the ball by only relying on the rattle of the ball as sound cues.
01
Inspiration
​
Left: a picture of my step-brother showing his hearing loss.
Right:: A picture of a person from Soundball Blind Tennis Singapore playing Soundball Tennis. (Elicano, 2024)
02
The Idea
Problem: Players struggle to locate the ball
Goal: If only there was a way to detect the ball and signal to the player, their timing would be perfect, right? Well, it sounds quite intuitive, but there were many challenges behind the scenes.
The idea
How did I try to achieve that? - the creation of the smart racket
03
Magnetometer
The first approach that came to our mind was to use a magnetometer. We figured that if we put a strong magnet inside the tennis ball, we might be able to detect it using a magnetometer (a sensor that measures magnetic strength) installed on our racket. So we connected a magnetometer with an Arduino board for a test.
The experiment result was not promising. To begin with, the magnetometer cannot measure a magnet beyond 3cm. This means that by the time the sensor senses the ball, the player won’t have time to react, making it downright ineffective. Even if we ignore that, the data was too confusing and volatile to figure out what was happening. For example, when the ball is at a fixed distance from the sensor, the data (either 0 or 1) is still constantly changing, making it unreliable. The only advantage was that it had different feedback when the magnet (tennis ball) was approaching from different directions. However, this was not helpful due to its short range of detection.
(Idea)
Prototypes
Proximity Sensor
Since the magnetometer didn’t work, we attempted to use a proximity sensor that triggers a buzzer (which will be located on the racket) when a ball is detected as a signal to the player.
However, we still identified a few problems during the test. First of all, the sensor only has a 25cm detection range, making it not ideal for this project. Secondly, the sensor has an extremely high power demand, since both components require energy to work, making it impossible to power using batteries. To make things worse, the sensor is extremely unstable when working in a bright environment under sunlight, as the sunlight affects the sensor's detector, making it unreliable. As a result, we have to find another way.
The infrared light switch (solution)
To solve the problem of range and stability, I decided to try using an infrared light switch. The sensor can be adjusted to detect objects from up to 60cm and is enclosed inside a black box to avoid sunlight interference.
After some programming and wiring, we quickly took it to a test.
The result was successful. The device performed better than expected in detecting fast-moving objects from a distance. Because of its long range and reliability, I decided that this is the best solution.
Final design
After multiple trials and errors, we came up with a design that is energy-efficient, compact, and effective. The design is made up of four infrared sensors, wires, a small vibration motor, lithium batteries, and an Arduino board. When one of the four sensors detects an incoming ball, a signal will be sent to the mini-vibration motor that will vibrate the racket’s handle to signal the player of an incoming ball.
[Demonstration of the sensor's sensitivity]
[Smart racket final design (it is quite difficult to hear the vibration)]
(Why did I decide to use a vibration motor instead of a buzzer?)
( Why did I choose to position the sensors this way?)
( Why did I choose to position the sensors this way?)
Trip to Singapore
In order to receive feedback on my project, me and my parents decided to go and visit a Soundball coach during the month of June 2023. Not only was I able to see the sport in action first-hand, I was also able to learn more about the challenges faced by Soundball players after meaningful conversations with the coach. For example, I learned that the most challenging part of the sport is the player's "depth perception". The coach stated that although my racket might be able to help with the timing of the ball (height), it does not really help the player's depth perception.
To tackle the problems mentioned above, he recommended that I use my engineering skills to create a ball that "can have a constant sound in the air, which will make it much easier to locate, as opposed to just relying on the bounces of the ball."
​​
It was that trip that inspired me to create a smart soundball that has a built-in audio system.
Bringing sound to the tennis ball - the creation of the smart Soundball
Using a passive buzzer
The first thing I tried to bring sound to the Soundball was to insert a buzzer in a tennis ball (instead of a Soundball since I thought that a bouncier ball would compensate for the increase in weight). To do this, I cut open a tennis ball using a saw, and inserted an Arduino Nano board with a passive buzzer that plays a sound non-stop once the board is turned on. Similar to the racket, we used a lithium battery for the power supply. However, I encountered a few issues with this design. For starters, the sound was not able to go through the tennis ball, and since there is a limit to how loud my buzzer can be, it will be extremely challenging for the visually impaired to hear the buzzer. Lastly, there was another major issue - "How are we supposed too turn it on and off?" Knowing the problems of this prototype, I decided to move on to my next design.
04
(Right: tennis ball. Left: buzzer linked to Arduino nano board + battery. )
Including a slide switch
In order to solve the problem of turning the buzzer on and off, the first idea that came to my mind was to add a slide switch. After integrating this into my design, I decided to put it into a cut-open Soundball, which allows the sound to pass through clearer and louder. The first question that came into our mind was where we should put the switch. We figured that we could not put the switch in the ball, since it would be challenging to A) identify the switch, and B) slide the switch inside the ball. At last, we decided to expose the switch through the gap that was cut out. However, after multiple trials and errors, we have identified a serious issue with this placement of the switch. We found out that although the switch is not sticking out of the ball, the mere fact of a hard object on the surface of the ball will affect its bounce and turn the switch on and off on impact. Thus, this is not a solution and we looked for other alternatives.
Reed switch
Because a physical switch doesn’t work, I attempted to use a reed switch - one that turns off when a strong magnet is near the ball (or the other way around). First, I 3D printed a sphere design that has the same dimensions as the original core, intending to put all the electronics inside. The design is only made up of three components: a buzzer, a reed switch, a lithium battery, and metal beads. Through this design, I tried my best to keep certain features of the original Soundball - the beads, while adding a buzzer and a switch. However, there are a few issues with this design. Firstly, the reed switch is not sensitive, so you have to place the magnet in a certain spot for it to stop buzzing. Secondly, the design itself is not really practical, since you need to remove the magnet and put it back before every rally, making it extremely inconvenient for the visually impaired.
Process switch
In order to tackle the problems from the previous two prototypes. I decided to put a process switch in the ball instead of exposing it. To achieve this, I 3D printed the same core as prototype 2, but with a small opening where the switch will rest. I then put a process switch inside, a lithium battery, beads, and a buzzer. When the core is in the Soundball, I can then turn it on and off from the outside, since the button sticks out from the core, but is still in the Soundball, allowing me to feel the switch and turn it on and off. At that time I thought it was the perfect design.
Second trip to Singapore
Towards the end of 2023, I was fortunate enough to have another opportunity to play with Soundball Singapore Club over the weekend. Through this trip, I further gained an understanding of the sport, such as the different levels of visual impairment, and understood the challenges players face and the determination needed to play this sport. After playing games with them using a blindfold, I was able to experience firsthand how difficult it is to locate and hit the ball. Having tried playing with my “smart ball”, they also gave me really valuable feedback regarding the design of my ball and helped me identify a few major issues with my prototype. Furthermore, this trip allowed me to witness the impact this sport has on the player’s life. Playing Soundball Tennis is not only a way for them to stay healthy and motivated, but it is also a way for them to form relationships and find happiness. Thus, this experience motivated me to continue advocating for this sport in Hong Kong, hoping more people will be able to experience the benefits this sport has to offer. It also motivates me to continue improving the sport through the use of engineering and make it an accessible and enjoyable sport for everyone in the visually impaired community.
FEEDBACK:
1) The reed switch breaks easily on impact and is inconvenient
2) The process switch gets turned off when hit by a racket.
3) The high pitch noise of the buzzer is irritating.
4) The beads can be louder, since you can only hear the buzzer
Final design - smart ball
In response to the feedback received, I have decided to conceal the button, lower the volume, increase the number of beads, and use a stronger 3D printing plastic.
​
Button: Instead of using a switch that sticks to the 3D core I printed. I decided to use a small press switch that does not stick out of the 3D core, reducing the chance of hitting the button during a match.
​
Volume (Buzzer): The first thing I did was to use another buzzer that has a significantly lower volume. To make sure the buzzing sound is still audible and less irritating, I also decided to have two different frequencies that play back and forth, instead of a fixed frequency that might irritate the players after a long period.
Changes to the core: Instead of printing the core using PELA plastic, I replaced it with PETG plastic and set it to 100% fill when 3D printing it, making it a lot more durable. This protects the fragile electronics in the ball and reduces the chance of them breaking.
Changing the number of beads: After the visit to Singapore, I experimented with different numbers of beads in the Soundball's core. After multiple trials, I found out that 10 beads make the loudest rattling sound, compared to the previous 5 beads.
Making an impact
Introducing my smart ball to Beyond Vision, an organization in Hong Kong for the visually impaired
In order to introduce Soundball Tennis to Hong Kong's visually impaired community, I reached out to an organization called Beyond Vision - a non-profit organization that advocates and provides activities for the visually impaired community in Hong Kong, hoping to allow some of their visually impaired members (VIs) to experience the sport. After a few months of planning and organization, I got the chance to organize a 2-hour session with two VIs in September 2024. Through different conversations I've had with the VIs, I learned about how sports is a very important form of social activity and is used to maintain both emotional and physical health. Not only was I able to receive feedback on my project, but I also had the chance to fulfil a VI's dream to play tennis. Seeing the smiles on the VI's faces when playing soundball made this experience extremely rewarding, and I hope to let other VIs have the same experience by continuing these soundball sessions in the future!
Takeaways :)
This two-year-long project really opened up a new view of how I see the world. I now gained even more respect for the disabled, since I was inspired by their optimism and persistence when overcoming different challenges. Additionally, this process really helped me gain knowledge on the different disabilities and disability sports, allowing me to help my community more effectively. Being able to present my work to different visually impaired communities gave me a huge sense of accomplishment and made me feel extremely rewarded for being able to make an impact in my community. Knowing that I might have made someone's life a lot easier and healthier further ignited my passion for service, and I hope to continue putting my skills to good use in the future.
ADHD smoothie
A smoothie made to help boost cognitive ability and concentration for ADHD
Inspiration
​ During the years 2023 and 2024, I volunteered to coach in a tennis program organized by Heep Hong. The program aims to teach students with special educational needs how to play tennis, and in turn, also develop their motor skills. In these two years, I realised that most of the students who attend the program have symptoms of ADHD. As a result, they refuse to listen to the coaches' instructions and insist on doing things that interest them. Around the same time when I was coaching the special educational needs children, I received a summative in my PE class that required me to create a diet for a student-athlete. After doing research, I created an eating plan and explained the function of each ingredient and meal.
​​ I started to come up with ways to help students with special educational needs, including looking at different warm-ups, or teaching techniques. Finally, I decided to look into the role of diet and its impact on ADHD.​
What is ADHD?
ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a developmental disability. A person who has ADHD has different brain development and brain activity, which leads to hyperactivities such as the inability to sit still and the lack of self-control. Thus, people with ADHD may also struggle with low self-esteem, and bad relationships and behave poor in school performance. (CDC, 2021)
Treatments:
Unfortunately, there isn’t any cure for ADHD, but there are some treatments such as medicine or behaviour intervention that can help reduce the symptoms. (CDC, 2021)
Causes:
There is no clear answer to the cause of ADHD. However, research has shown that genetics plays a key role, and other factors such as brain injury, exposure to environmental risk, alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, premature delivery, and low birth weight are also potential causes of ADHD. (CDC, 2021)
Sugar
Does sugar affect ADHD?
“Does sugar affect ADHD?” This question has been asked multiple times after a doctor made a sugar-free diet for a child with ADHD in the 1970s. Surprisingly, the child’s behaviour did improve. Since then, there have been multiple studies conducted around this “myth”. So … does sugar affect ADHD?
Does sugar increase hyperactivity?
People who are looking into potential “ADHD treatments”, may have come across the no-sugar diet. Essentially, this diet is built on the assumption that sugar worsens ADHD, thus, removing sugar from diets will help reduce symptoms. However, there are some flaws in this theory.
First of all, this theory is mostly based on double-blind placebo-controlled trials, where the results show a fairly strong correlation between sugar intake and worsened hyperactivity. However, there are few, if any scientific studies to back up the myth on whether “sugar worsens ADHD”. Some studies even show that there is no direct correlation between the two variables.
One possible explanation for this controversy is the time and place when sugar is usually consumed. Since sugar is usually consumed during birthday parties (birthday cakes), as a holiday treat, or in your summer ice - cream, children will naturally be more hyperactive during those events. Another theory is that ADHD symptoms are augmented by the lack of nutrition in sugary foods and drinks such as juice, soda, candy, and desserts. These foods and beverages tend to have a large amount of refined sugar and less healthy nutrients such as fibre and proteins. According to a systematic review of the relationship between diets and ADHD, a nutritious diet and meal tends to help reduce the severity of ADHD symptoms, having somewhat of a “protective effect”. Thus, a nutrient-lacking diet might leave people with ADHD more vulnerable to some symptoms. For example, according to verywell.com, people with ADHD tend to have lower levels of zinc and iron. However, a sugary diet that usually lacks nutrients will not be able to supply the person with ADHD with the iron and zinc used to regulate dopamine.
Sugar - conclusion
​ All in all, I believe that sugar doesn’t have a direct correlation with ADHD symptoms, but the time when sugar is consumed, as well as the lack of nutrients that might come with a sugary diet, might indirectly worsen ADHD symptoms.
How does food rich in dopamine help ADHD?
On a more scientific level, ADHD is an impulse disorder with genetic components that is a result of at least one imbalance of neurotransmitters. For example, people with ADHD might have defects with the DRD2 gene. As a result, neurons (nerve cells that send messages all over your body) will struggle to respond to dopamine - a neurotransmitter (chemical transmitter) that is involved in the feelings of pleasure and the regulation of attention. Other dopaminergic genes such as the DRD4 receptor gene, the dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DβH) gene, and the dopamine transporter genes, have also been implicated in the cause and behaviour of people with ADHD. Thus, people with ADHD often have dopamine deficiency or struggle to process dopamine in the brain.
The creation of the ADHD smoothie
In order to help people with ADHD, I decided to create an ADHD-friendly/beneficial smoothie after doing research online.
The smoothie contains:
- Blueberries: Blueberries contain many antioxidants that seem to have a beneficial effect on neural pathways. Blueberries help reduce inflammation and improve memory and brain function. According to NIH, blueberries are rich in flavonoids, which have "a potential to protect neurons against injury induced by neurotoxins, an ability to suppress neuroinflammation, and the potential to promote memory, learning and cognitive function."Additionally, blueberries contain high levels of omega-3. Our brain uses omega-3s to build brain and nerve cells, which helps aid our learning and memory. Anthocyanin, are also found in blueberries. These compounds are full of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Surprisingly, some antioxidants found in blueberries might improve the communication between brain cells!
-Bananas: Speaking of brain cells, bananas contain high potassium levels. This nutrient is vital for the communication of brain cells. Not only that, banana also contains magnesium, a nutrient that helps our neurons function.
​
-Apples: According to avogel.co.uk, "apples contain a flavonoid antioxidant called quercetin which is believed to help prevent dopamine loss by the brain."
- Walnuts: In 2015, UCLA conducted a study identifying the correlation between walnut consumption and improved cognitive test scores! This is because this nut is high in a type of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). The presence of ALA is proven to help lower blood pressure and result in cleaner arteries, making it beneficial for both the heart and brain.
​
- Broccoli: Broccoli is very high in vitamin K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. All are proven to slow cognitive decline.
(Although I wasn't able to present this smoothie to people with ADHD, I hope to get the chance to make an impact with my research in the future, and also further develop my studies with hands-on research.)
​
Grandmaphone
A low-cost device that enables the elderly to connect with family and friends around the world for better emotional well-being with the touch of a button.
Cap for the visually impaired
IDEA:
In 2022, I decided to create a hat for the visually impaired. With the help of my innovations teacher, I designed a hat that alerts the user when an obstacle is within 50cm. The design is mainly composed of a sensor, an Arduino board, and a buzzer. This simple design allows the visually impaired to navigate with ease and travel safely.
