Promoting digital inclusivity in the elderly

Year 3 student Brandon R HAN, who reads Double Majors in Statistics and Computer Studies and a Minor in Chinese Studies, loves coding as well as numbers and the patterns behind them.

Applying his multi-domain knowledge led him to win the Social Innovation Prize at the Tsinghua University Global Summer School Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Hackathon (2021) in support of the first United Nations’ SDGs Innovation Challenge of its kind held in Asia.

China’s controversial decades-old one-child policy has gained renewed attention, with its rapidly ageing population leading to potential social problems as well as hindered economic growth. Brandon and his interdisciplinary team decided to dive into this issue by creating a simple application (app) to connect the older generation, many of whom live alone without mental support, with youths through chats and games.

Brandon and his team of five students from South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Thailand brainstormed extensively, and drew on their different knowledge and perspectives to adjust, improve and construct their app to serve as an effective bridge between the older and younger generations in China. Their app also received the Certificate of Honour at the hackathon.

He says, “The experience enabled me to develop practical and innovative solutions to issues related to sustainable development while learning in an experiential way. It also broadened my cultural horizons.”