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Saudi Inventor Wins Award | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Al Qatif, Saudi Arabia, Asharq Al-Awsat- A Saudi student has won plaudits for his invention that will help individuals with speech impediments communicate with others around them.

Nouri Saleh Ibrahim al Shabib who studied electronic engineering at Kinki University, in Osaka Japan, and is currently enrolled in an MA in Mechanical Systems Engineering at Yamanashi University in Kofu Japan has invented a Device which monitors breathing using ultrasounds. The young Inventor created a special microphone for those with speech impediments which measures the amount of air leaving the mouth.

The winner at the 25th scientific conference for the medical engineering recently held in Japan told Asharq al Awsat, “When I left Saudi Arabia to study in Japan, I wanted to study electronics, learn a new language and discover a new culture to add to my personal and social and not just academic achievements.”

Experts in the fields of mechanical systems and ultrasounds believe Nouri’s innovation will a revolutionize medicine and enable those with speech impediments to communicate.

Born in Um al Hammam in the al Qatif governorate in 1980, Nouri is the ninth of 11 siblings. As a young child, he imagined he would become a schoolteacher later in life. However, Japan soon caught his attention.

Worried about the financial burden on his family, Nouri studied hard in order “to achieve a high average” at school. “I used to study in the run up to exams and play volleyball in the school playground until Grade 12.” He believes that combining studying and play as well as not staying up very late are very important. Organization is also crucial in his field.

Nouri’s invented an “equipment to monitor breathing through the use of light, instead of the current methods”. It relies on electricity and is special because it “relies on electricity, is inexpensive and easy to use.” “This is the first equipment in the world to rely on light,” the young Saudi inventor said.

He expected that the equipment will revolutionize the way breathing is monitoring because “current systems are often pricey which makes them inaccessible for many people and we therefore only found in hospitals. The new equipment will be moderately priced and will therefore assist the care of patients and elderly, especially in homes.”

Despite still being at the development stage, a number of Japanese companies have showed their interest. “We are currently studying them and I hope that an agreement will be signed soon in order to begin the manufacturing process,” Nouri said.