Twin innovators win top prize at Science Fair

Twin innovators win at Science Fair with life-saving tech

Annika (left) and Avika Singh

We love it when our students show initiative—and Year 12 twins Avika and Annika Singh have taken that to a whole new level.

Earlier this year, the sisters approached science teacher Mr. Herber with a request: to represent Avondale College at the Auckland Science and Technology Fair.

“I told them that we don’t usually do this particular Science Fair," says Mr. Herber, "but I made a deal—if they organised the admin, and found an adult to drop off their project and themselves on the day, then I'd support them to develop their entry. And they did just that.”

The Auckland Science and Technology Fair, held annually, brings together hundreds of students from across the region to Michael Park School in Ellerslie to present projects that solve real-world problems.

The twins' project sought to address one of the world’s most pressing health issues: heart disease, which claims approximately 20.5 million lives each year. Using a one- dimensional convolutional neural network (1D CNN), they developed a model that can process and classify normal and five types of irregular rhythms from heart signals. “We already have pre-established electro cardiogram systems, but they require expert interpretation," explains Annika. "We saw a clear need for an automated, affordable system that could help detect cardiac emergencies early, which could decrease unnecessary loss of life, especially in areas of limited medical access."

Despite having no medical background in their family, the twins worked with Mr. Herber to understand the science and coding behind their project.

Among standout entries like a lamp that adjusts to your daily routine and a GPS system for sailboats, the Singh sisters’ project earned a Highly Commended card on day two of the fair. Initially a bit disappointed, they were stunned to discover later that day—via the fair’s website—that they had actually won first place in their age category. “We messaged Mr. Herber right away and he confirmed it. It felt like a rollercoaster—we were absolutely thrilled!” says Avika. The prizegiving is set for this Monday.

In the future, they want to keep building on their device and turn it into a full-fledged heart monitoring system: “We are now working on coding our own sensors and creating an interface that can connect doctors and patients directly,” says Annika. “It is the next stage of our experiment,” adds Avika, “we are not only moving towards real-time monitoring but also focussing on increasing the accuracy of the model through techniques like data augmentation.”

They credit Avondale’s Innovation Academy for helping them think creatively and approach challenges with a solution-focused mindset. They encourage students to grasp every learning opportunity they can while they're young, even those beyond Avondale's already abundant offerings of clubs, Academies and competitions.

Mr. Herber is confident that the twins are just getting started: “These two students show so much motivation and endeavour—it’s exploding from them."