The Vinhelm helmet has earned three students the title of Intellectual Property Youth Ambassadors awarded by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The year 2021 was particularly significant for over 24 million students across the country. Never before had Vietnamese students experienced such prolonged school closures, restrictions on going outside, and the inability to attend in-person classes as they did last year.
It was during this challenging time that a new generation of digital citizens began to emerge, thanks to the rapid advancement of technology. Generation Z harnessed their youthful energy to invent technology products that gained international recognition.
The 7 PM news bulletin from VTV on January 3 highlighted the proud achievements of three students:
- Đỗ Trọng Minh Đức (born in 2003, currently studying at Montverde Academy, Florida, USA)
- Trần Nguyễn Khánh An (born in 2006, a 10th-grade student at Dewey Schools, Hanoi)
- Nguyễn Hoàng Phúc (born in 2007, a 9th-grade student at the French International School Lfay, Hanoi). These students are the creators of the “mobile isolation helmet” Vinhelm.
Three students awarded the title of WIPO Youth Ambassadors for Intellectual Property.
It is reported that with this invention, the three students were awarded the title of WIPO Youth Ambassadors for Intellectual Property by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland. This is the first time WIPO has granted this title in the Asia-Pacific region, and it is also the second time this title has been awarded in WIPO’s 50-year history (established in 1967).
The Vinhelm helmet is designed based on the operational principles of a mask called PAPR, which filters air according to globally recognized standards and has a safety level 100 times higher than N99 masks. The Vinhelm helmet has been registered for intellectual property rights in Vietnam and internationally protected, recognized by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health as meeting Group A standards and permitted for circulation in the market… This is considered a breakthrough in preventing the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on human health.
The students with their invention at the Techfest 2020 event. (Photo: Techfest 2020).
The U.S. Department of Health has noted that PAPR has the drawback of being uncomfortable for long wear, as it is difficult to scratch one’s head or face if it becomes itchy. For this reason, PAPR is rarely used for disease prevention. To address this issue, the inventors added a special glove at the bottom of the helmet, allowing users to scratch their face, rub their eyes, or even eat while still maintaining respiratory isolation from the external environment.
As a result, users can comfortably wear the helmet continuously for about four hours of work without worrying about itching or overheating, while the risk of infection is reduced by up to 99.9% according to the research and development team’s experimental evaluations.
The Vinhelm helmet is now available on the market. (Photo: Vinhelm).
Currently, the Vinhelm helmet has been approved for sale in the U.S., European, and Vietnamese markets after rigorous evaluations and inspections.
Speaking about this proud achievement, student Khánh An shared on VTV: “Our generation is truly fortunate to be born in an era of outstanding digital technology, where there is no discrimination; everyone has the opportunity and the right to learn whatever they desire!”.
