Two groundbreaking student inventions: an AI-powered water quality monitoring system and a smart keyboard designed for people with Parkinson’s; have been named global winners of the 2025 James Dyson Award, each receiving S$50,700 to advance their innovations.
Now in its 20th year, the renowned international competition received over 2,100 entries from 28 countries and regions, supporting young inventors solving real-world problems through technology and design. To date, the Award has provided more than S$2.7 million in funding to over 400 student-led ideas.
Sustainability Winner: WaterSense – Real-Time AI Water Monitoring
The global Sustainability prize went to WaterSense, created by Filip Budny from Poland, a PhD candidate in nanotechnology at the Warsaw University of Technology.
Water pollution affects more than 40% of the world’s lakes and rivers, yet monitoring remains infrequent and outdated in many countries. WaterSense offers a breakthrough alternative by delivering real-time, automated water quality tracking, replacing conventional manual sampling.
Key features include:
- Powered by moving water using a built-in hydrogenator, no external energy source needed
- Recyclable paper-based sensors that measure over 20 water indicators such as pH, oxygen, nitrates, and chlorides
- Multi-depth sampling to detect pollutants lurking below the surface
- Self-replacing sensors that refresh daily for 12 months, ensuring lab-grade accuracy without human intervention
- AI-enabled platform that uploads data via mobile networks and can forecast pollution events up to 72 hours in advance
Data will be publicly accessible, enabling communities and authorities to act early to protect ecosystems. WaterSense is currently undergoing testing at 20 sites across Poland, with expansion plans underway.
Medical Winner: OnCue – A Smart Keyboard That Helps Manage Parkinson’s Symptoms
The global Medical prize was awarded to OnCue, designed by Alessandra Galli of Italy, an Integrated Product Design graduate from Delft University of Technology.
Parkinson’s, affecting over 10 million people worldwide, often causes tremors, slowed movement, and “freezing,” making typing extremely challenging. Existing assistive keyboards improve accessibility, but lack therapeutic functions. OnCue aims to change that.
What sets OnCue apart:
- Haptic vibration cues in both the keyboard and wristbands to steady typing rhythm
- AI-powered visual prompts that light up predicted keys to reduce hesitation and errors
- Split, compact layout inspired by gaming keyboards to reduce strain and improve accuracy
- Raised key edges, wireless Bluetooth connection, and one-week battery life
- Customisable settings for vibration and lighting to adapt to each user’s symptoms and daily fluctuations
Alessandra is now developing personalisation software and plans to collaborate further with medical professionals to refine the device, hoping to eventually support people with other neurological conditions such as dystonia and Alzheimer’s.
