Tag: Thailand

Chula joins hands with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) to design “Walkable City” using the GoodWalk Score as the criteria for selecting the pilot area to be developed as Walkable City in Bangkok as well as many cities around the country. The plan is to help reduce pollution, revitalize tourism, and the local economy while enhancing the quality of life and health for city dwellers.

• At the GoodWalk Forum Thailand 2023 some interesting average figures were shown.
• Bangkokians spend an average of 800 hours travelling by car.
• Expenses for car travel of city dwellers is about 20% of their entire expense.
• The furthest distance a city dweller is willing to walk is 800 meters or around 10 minutes.
• 44 % of all Bangkokians have some form of obesity.
• What do these figures mean for us?

The Bangkok Metropolis is a city of car dependency. The more roads we have, the higher the number of cars on the streets. The price we pay is the rising number of PM2.5 on the Bangkok Air Quality Index, and traffic congestion that takes a toll on the economy while bringing about increased mental and physical distress.

Concepts and guidelines for urban development must be altered. Instead of focusing on increasing new roads, we might need to pay attention to designing “Walkable City” to ensure that walking becomes a part of our daily lives.

Such an idea isn’t an outmoded matter that goes against development concepts. Several countries in America, Europe, and Asia are now focusing more on walking and applying the concept of “Walkable Cities.” Copenhagen is one such city that has taken over 10 years to recover areas and dedicate public spaces for pedestrians.

Thailand has also responded to this trend by creating “Walkable Cities” with the collaboration between the Urban Design and Development Center, Center of Excellence in Urban Strategies, or UDDC-CEUS) Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (Thai Health) in the “Walkable Cities: GoodWalk Thailand” starting from 2014 up until the present.

“The project which isn’t only about improvements or widening pavements, is crucial for Thailand’s urban development strategies — environmental, economic, social along with health and well-being and preparation for the effects of climate change and an aging society.” Associate Professor Dr. Niramon Serisakul Director of Chula’s Urban Design and Development Center explained the significance of the project at the “GOODWALK FORUM THAILAND 2023” held last October.

The forum offered a chance for people to find out more about the concept of walkable city in the Bangkok Metropolis and various other cities that the project has worked on for the past 9 years. The work started from a study and survey of the area to derive an index to develop the walkability potentials and develop the Goodwalk Score map to identify areas where the design will be piloted, improving the connection between various destinations until it becomes a concrete sample area. Some of these areas are that of Chula-Samyan, Bantadthong, Siam Square, and the Chaophraya River sky bridge.

Improved quality of life

Many research works indicate that the structure and environment of a city have a profound effect on the way of life and physical activities of its dwellers. Developing a city to make it more conducive for walking can bring about the following benefits such as:

Improvement in physical health

If the area offers the chance for people to be able to walk safely and conveniently it will motivate more people to go out and walk and increase their physical activities which in turn will yield positive health benefits.

Citing statistics from the World Health Organization, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niramon said that each year about 1.9 million deaths result from insufficient physical activity (WHO advises people to engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week.)

“For this reason, providing an urban structure that allows people to walk more will also help promote their health. Two to three more times one’s normal physical activity can help reduce illnesses and mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and obesity which are related to death rates from cardiovascular disease”

Economic improvement especially for SMEs

Walkable District will help stimulate the economy and affect income distribution to small entrepreneurs in the area which will help maintain both the existing economy and increase the new economy. Moreover, land and real estate prices are higher in walkable neighborhoods than in non-walkable neighborhoods. a

In addition, research results from the past 10 years have found that 49 percent of the new generation that is so-called the Gen Me have a lifestyle where they choose their area of residence before choosing a job. They often show a preference for living in a walkable area. This means that creative urban designs with walkable areas also mean value added to the area.

Cultural creative incubation

Once the cities become walkable, they attract more people to take part in activities in the public areas. Along with that are artists and those with special abilities who now have a venue to show off their talents.

Inclusive Society

With more people walking around, there is an increased level of interaction creating a feeling of connection to one’s own place of residence, and being acquainted with people in the same neighborhood, leading to increased safety in the community along with greater implications for promoting equality in society. In addition, having walkable areas will help respond to the needs of the elderly so that they will no longer be lonely at home since there is now a safe space outside the house to come out and enjoy life in various ways.

“In Thailand, we still do not find many elderly people walking in public areas due to bad sidewalks making walking difficult and increasing the risk of accidents. This might be the reason why Thailand has the highest risk of the elderly who are bed-ridden in Asia” observed Adisak Guntamueanglee who is currently a Deputy Director at the Urban Design and Development Center, Chulalongkorn University.

What is a Walkable City?

The project has developed its website called GoodWalk (http://goodwalk.org/) as a channel for presenting stories, news, and perspectives about walkable cities and good walking cities, both domestically and internationally. The highlight of the website is the GoodWalk Score which ranks “walkable” and “good walking” areas in both the Bangkok Metropolis and upcountry.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niramon defines “A Walkable City” as “a city’s space or area where people’s daily destination is in walking distance or approximately 500-800 meters.”

The criteria for measurement and scoring “a walkable city” is based on those destinations related to people and their daily lives which are 1) workplaces 2) educational institutions, 3) consumer goods, 4) recreation, 5) banking/transactions/public services, and 6) public transportation.

In Bangkok, the areas that scored highest in terms of their “walkability” are Siam Square, Khao San Road, and Bang Rak District – in that order.

For a city to be good for walking “it must be designed with safe and convenient walking in mind with wide and shady sidewalks, enough lighting, no obstructions and a pleasant environment that makes it conducive for walking.”

Some of Bangkok’s areas that are good for walking are roads like Rama I, Ratchawong, Chakrapong, Lad Ya, Lane 7 of Siam Square, etc.

Aside from Bangkok, the GoodWalk website has also assessed the walkability of streets upcountry. In Chiang Mai, for example, the areas deemed walkable are Chang Phueak, Ta Pae, and Warorot Market.

Those who are interested can access http://goodwalk.org/ to find out the Goodwalk scores in their neighborhood or travel destination.

Working together to create a “walkable city”

Bangkok’s vast number of automobiles has turned it into a city of cars. Developing it into a “walkable city” would take time, especially in its endeavors to get people to realize the merits of having a walkable city.

Deputy Director Adisak explained that “One of the most important factors in making a city walkable has to do with the city’s administrators – those with a vision, those who are daring enough to make decisions and make changes. Another factor is that all those who have a stake in a certain area must accept that all changes will affect one group or another. We need time to get people to understand the importance of these changes and the benefits they would yield before we can produce an urban development policy.”

The project has made use of the GoodWalk Score in its selection of areas targeted in concrete ways for in-depth development. The next step is to explain to all relevant parties the benefits of walkable cities. The project will need to work with government and private agencies, development partners, and the public sector in the area both in terms of surveys and design of various neighborhoods in Bangkok and cities in other provinces.

The Chula area as a Walkable Area or City sandbox

In his opinion, Mr. Adisak believes Bangkok has the potential to be developed into a Walkable City.

“It has been the policy of the previous as well as the current Governor of Bangkok to emphasize rail system public transport resulting in more people walking. Changing the entire city of Bangkok into a walking city is most difficult, however, since many areas are closed up, some have been left abandoned and there are overlapping problems between various agencies. The project has introduced the “city acupuncture” concept which involves developing small patches area by area that leads to physical and social changes on a larger scale.”

One of the areas that is ready for such changes is that of Chulalongkorn University.

A survey found that since the Patumwan, Siam and Samyan area has destinations in everyday life that are within walking distance, it is one of the highest walkability indexes in Bangkok and Thailand. Therefore, the project has worked together with several sectors in the University to create a master plan for this.

Associate Professor Jittisak Thammapornpilas, Chula’s Vice President for Property and Physical Resources Management has outlined some of the plans for making this a reality.

“Chula is an essential pilot sandbox. We now have covered sidewalks connecting various buildings on campus, we use electric buses and Tuk Tuks, and have also introduced car sharing and bike sharing which do not leave a carbon footprint and are environmentally friendly to ensure what is known as First and Last Mile Connectivity.”

Chulalongkorn University has also worked towards turning the Siam Square, Suan Luang, and Sam Yan areas walkable with sun and rain protection structures, connection to all surrounding areas, and installing car deceleration points, along with road closures in Siam Square turning the area into a walking street with various recreational activities like street performances, open-air markets as well as joining forces with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to present an outdoor movie festival.

Changing our cities one walk at a time

Other than the Chula area, the project has joined hands with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to roll out the BANGKOK 250 to turn Bangkok into a world-class city in time to celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2032.

The project aims to revitalize 17 inner city areas, accounting for 60% of Bangkok’s total area making it a walkable city. The areas are Ratchadamnoen Klang, Ta Chang-Ta Tien piers, Ban Mor, Bang Khun Non – Faichai, Kudi Chin – Khlong San, Yothi-Ratchawithi, Soi Polo-Ruamrudee, Talad Noi, Saphan Pla-Yannawa- Thanon Tok, Wongwien Yai and to restore the residential zone around Charan Sanitwong, Yannawa- Bang Kolaem.

There are also plans to restore the historical zone of Rattanakosin and Thonburi, the central commercial zone of Patumwan – Bang Rak, and the commercial Taksin area. Plans are also underway to develop a continuous walkway, Bangkok’s green bridge, and surrounding areas that link to the rail and public transport system with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration as well.

One of the successful and highly visible prototype projects that brings pride is the conversion of the abandoned Lavalin Skytrain structure into Chao Phraya Sky Park.

“This area is a connection point for foot and bicycle traffic of both the Phra Nakhon side and the Thonburi side. It also supports various activities such as walking, relaxing, and watching the sunrise and sunset. Trees were planted to provide shade and rest areas, allowing tourists easy crossing, and creating economic opportunities for people on the Thonburi side,” Mr. Adisak said.

According to Assoc. Prof. Niramon, the project is also working with the BMA to survey the Ratchawithi – Yothi area to construct a skywalk that links the service area on both sides and the surrounding areas.

“With as many as seven leading hospitals and medical schools, this neighborhood was once an area that Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram wished to develop into a medical metropolis. This is a good opportunity, therefore, to revitalize the area adding a skywalk to accommodate more users. With wider sidewalks, it should be safer to walk around with a roof to shield pedestrians from the heat and rain. It will help reduce the use of cars and increase the use of public transportation. It helps to connect hospital buildings and commercial areas and will act like capillaries in promoting the economy, well-being, and creation of good communities.“

Promoting tourism with walkable city planning

Aside from being a driving force in developing capital cities, the walkable city concept can also be used to develop secondary cities at the regional level as well.

“What makes it challenging is that each city is different, and has its own unique identity. The urban costs and cultural costs are not the same. These things can be further developed along with the development of the city that promotes walkability. Cities that emphasize cultural tourism must certainly promote walkability.” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niramon stressed.

The project’s research team works in collaboration with local government agencies that understand the city to conduct surveys and consider the city’s selling points and strengths. This includes creating a community to listen to the voices of people in the area and provide the opportunity for participatory decision-making in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and acceptance of change. The next step is for the community to work together to design a city that is linked with pavements that enable walking along routes of cultural heritage, economic routes, learning routes, and green routes that promote health and well-being along with social activities to the members of those communities.

Some examples of the prototype cities that the project has been involved in developing are Lamphun which is an ancient city, Roi-et with its festivals, Nakhon Si Thammarat which has a temple that houses the Buddha’s relics and Rayong which is an old town.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Niramon said that the project has already worked with local agencies to develop as many as 33 cities in Thailand. Their target is to help promote health, society, and the economy by developing small businesses and creating walkable cities while responding to the needs of each city as much as possible.

After nine years of working on these projects, several cities have started to take strides. The project is confident in how these walkable cities are working out in both the capital city and regional cities. What is perhaps most challenging are the perspectives shown by agencies in the government sector.

“Since government agencies still do not see and neither do they accept the possibility of walkable cities as a way for developing cities in Thailand, there has yet to be any budget allocation for this effort. Instead, city development is still mostly about securing budgets for new roads or road improvement“ she added.

Nevertheless, the UDDC-CEUS and its development partners continue to push forward the concept of developing a Walkable City as a strategy for urban development in Thailand. Assoc. Prof. Niramon concluded that they hope the different ideas proposed by the project in such books as Walkable City: When Bangkok Starts Walking or Walkable 101 The Walkable Cities in Roi-et and Complete Streets: Standards for Walkable Cities can be used as reference and resources and become more widely accepted so that they can become part of the policies and guidelines for urban development in Thailand in the future.

For those interested in finding out more about Walkable Cities kindly access Facebook: www.facebook.com/uddcbangkok or contact the project at the UddC center via email at [email protected]

Read the full article at https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/151458/

Delivery trucks, food trucks … and now, art therapy trucks?

In 2022, a study jointly conducted by Chulalongkorn University and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation of 9,000 students from 15 universities nationwide indicated that 40% of university students suffered from stress, while 30% are often or always depressed and around 4% thought of committing suicide.

In 2023, The Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts (FAA) at Chulalongkorn University launched the CU Mobile Arts 4U project. Lecturer in Expressive Arts Dr. Nisara Jaroenkajornkij or as she is better known, ‘Dr Alex’, explained the background, “Statistics showed that there is a rising trend in rates of depression and suicide at the university. The then-Dean, Professor Bussakorn Binson wanted to help alleviate these mental issues and improve the quality of life for students and staff.”

Professor Rachel Lev-Wiesel of the Emili Sagol Research Center at the University of Haifa, a driving force behind the introduction of creative art therapy at the faculty, which now has its own Emili Sagol Research and Wellness Center, was consulted on how to reach out to those suffering from depression. Previously, she had jointly led a team of art therapists with Professor Binson to Korat to provide art therapy to survivors of the Terminal 21 shooting incident on 8 February 2020. “Professor Bussakorn said that we already have a wellness center and art therapy at the faculty, so we should go out and meet students”, noted Dr Alex.

A small truck was ordered and then brightly decorated in Chula’s colors – lots of pinks and pastels. The truck opens out, with plenty of space for the therapists to display the artworks of those staff and students who participate in the therapeutic sessions.

Dr Alex, who has a master’s in clinical psychology from Kingston University in the UK and teaches on the FAA’s newly launched international master’s program in Expressive Arts, said that expressive art therapy includes a wide range of activities, from music, dance, and movement to painting, sculpting and psychodrama, “expressive art therapy includes every form of art.”

The CU Mobile Art Truck parks up at various places around the university, most recently, at the CU Central Library. Staff and students joining in are given a questionnaire with 9 questions and are asked to draw a self-portrait. Dr Alex is able to interpret each self-portrait. “It’s a kind of assessment as I can analyze the drawing”, she said. “Some students show severe symptoms [of depression] and for them I can refer them to their faculties for further mental health support.”

The activities at the CU Central Library session, which was conducted by Professor Binson and Dr Alex, included ‘self-figure drawings’, watercolor, oil and pastel drawing and painting. The program also uses ‘ambient music’ to create a calm, supportive environment.

The session was held in a very relaxing atmosphere that made the activities enjoyable and low key. The standard of some of the artwork was very good, too. Some students just really enjoyed the process of making artworks, which took their minds off some of the more stressful aspects of their lives.

For Dr Alex, the reward for this kind of interdisciplinary, expressive art-based therapy comes when participants make tangible progress. “When you’re working with people who are depressed and you see the improvement in their face, that’s the ‘fall-in-love’ moment”, she said. “You can see their face ‘glow’ – they are no longer under a cloud.”

The CU Mobile Arts 4 U Truck has recently completed its pilot year, and has secured funding for 2024, so the art truck will be appearing around the campus over the next year.

Dive into the realm of inspiration with Sasin Sustainability & Entrepreneurship Center as we proudly present “Women Impact Entrepreneurship Day (WIED) 2024”!

This extraordinary event revolves around the theme, “New Horizons in Women Entrepreneurship: Embracing Diversity, Inspiring Change” on March 1, 2024, from 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM at TK Hall, Sasin School of Management.

Secure your spot by registering here: http://bit.ly/SasinWIED2024

Join us in celebrating alongside the remarkable contributions of women in entrepreneurship and society, igniting the spirit of International Women’s Week and leading up to International Women’s Day.

In Collaboration with our Champions:
Proudly partnered with UN Women, UN GCNT, ANDE, WE-Can (Space Bangkok), and Sasin Inclusion along with their expansive networks.

Key Highlights:

Engaging Workshops including:

The 2030 SDG Game by Sasin School of Management:

A compelling experiential workshop utilizing game-based elements to simulate potential scenarios in our world by 2030. This immersive activity underscores the significance of harmonizing the three pillars of People, Planet, and Prosperity. Participants are encouraged to delve into the mindset and actions necessary for progressing towards sustainability.

Gender Lens Incubation and Acceleration by Sasakawa Peace Foundation & ChangeFusion:

Engage with like-minded individuals on a journey with the Gender Lens Incubation & Acceleration (GLIA) introductory learning session, an awareness-based workshop designed for those seeking to explore the impactful subject of gender lens thinking in entrepreneurship.

Panel Discussions and Sharing Sessions to explore innovative perspectives in entrepreneurship.
Networking Opportunities with a diverse group of women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and advocates for gender equality.
Be part of this empowering expedition, where we embrace diversity and inspire change in the entrepreneurial landscape. Let us collectively shatter gender biases and revel in the symphony of equality!

For more information please contact [email protected]

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/149154/

Currently, Generative AI has transformed learning, research, and innovation in universities. Chulalongkorn University is a pioneer in applying AI to classrooms through various platforms and tools.

On December 15, 2023, at Room 409, Chaloem Rajakumari 60 Building (Chamchuri 10), Chulalongkorn University, Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (CSII), Chula’s newest faculty and a speedboat in innovation, signed an MOU with the LB&A Consortium, to redefine education through AI. The MOU, signed by Prof. Emeritus Dr. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, CSII Executive Director, and Mr. Anders Hasle Nielsen, AI expert from Denmark, representing the LB&A Consortium, marked the beginning of the era of AI-led education. The LB&A consortium consists of comprising Lion Brain Co. Ltd. (LionBrain) and Anders H.L Soft Co. Ltd.

The MOU solidifies the commitment to jointly develop the AI platform for education following the academic seminar on “Is Thailand ready for the AI era?” last July. Both parties pledge to collaborate in moving towards future education, especially with the Bachelor of Arts and Science in Integrated Innovation (BAScii).

Prof. Emeritus Dr. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, CSII Executive Director, explained that the collaboration not only gives CSII a head start in the development of Generative AI, but also leads to a paradigm shift by integrating AI with education, research, and innovation of the BAScii curriculum. One outcome of this alliance is a model for the future educational system that takes advantage of AI, which is suitable for the CSII speedboat, that will also benefit other educational institutions.Mr. Anders Hasle Nielsen stated, “This collaboration will pave the way towards an AI-driven education that focuses on personalized and efficient AI tools that grow with the ever-increasing databases. Our joint effort is a significant step towards making AI an integral part of educational institutions around the world.

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/146982/

Our world has moved from “Global Warming” to “Global Boiling” due to the steadily rising temperatures. Preparations to deal with climate change are therefore an urgency to prevent Thailand and the world from becoming at risk.

Chulalongkorn University’s Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, is equipped with the knowledge on various types of plants and fully staffed by knowledgeable faculty members, researchers, students, and experts who are ready to apply their insight to figuring out the solutions to the current global boiling. The Department of Botany opened the Living Plant Museum at the Glass House, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, with Prof. Dr. Bundhit Eua-arporn, Chulalongkorn’s President, Prof. Dr. Narin Hiransuthikul, Vice President for Strategic Monitoring and Assessment, Planning, Budgeting and Well-being, and Prof. Dr. Polkit Sangvanich, Dean of the Faculty of Science, along with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanuttkhul Mongkolaussavarat, Director of the Science Society of Thailand Under the Patronage of His Majesty the King, Mr. Kampol Tansujja, President of Nong Nooch Botanical Garden Pattaya, Ms. Nantawanchaya. Phachit Praphan, President of Herb4You Co., Ltd. and World Green Plus Co., Ltd., and Mr. Thanathip Sitprasert, representative of Boonrawd Brewery Co., Ltd., attending the opening.

The Living Plant Museum is a permanent exhibition displayed in the Glass House next to the Mahamakut Building, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University. Not only is this a place where plants with botanical significance are kept, it also is a venuie for an exchange of knowledge between faculty members, experts in various fields of botany, and the public who have close experience with nature in each region. The place forms a network of knowledge and understanding that is passed on to the new generation that is eco-conscious, as well as offers lifelong learning to cope with climate change. The exhibition features the “Innovation for Seedlings with High Survival Rate” developed from Mycorrhizal Inoculum bred with rubber seedlings and ratchapruek tree to increase the survival rate of trees amidst the volatile climate conditions.

Prof. Dr. Bundhit Eua-arporn, President of Chulalongkorn University, said, “Chulalongkorn University has announced its commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and net zero emissions by 2050. Therefore, we must encourage the Chula community to take responsibility for climate change. One strategy that we’ve been continuously employing is the application of research and innovations in Chulalongkorn to creating social change that will drive society towards becoming a low-carbon society. One area which we emphasize is the development of green urban space and the restoration of forest ecosystems. Faculty members and researchers at the Faculty of Science, specifically the Department of Botany, and our network partners are working tirelessly to cultivate new knowledge, research, and innovation to respond to the Global Boiling situation as warned by the United Nations. We have gathered the knowledge and stored it in the Living Plant Museum, which, from now on, will be a living lab to foster lifelong learning for Thai people to help us deal with future issues and find better solutions for global environmental problems.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sehanat Prasongsuk, Head of the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, said that the Living Plant Museum is considered a lifelong learning source where we teach students, conduct research on plants in an evaporative cooling system, and display a permanent exhibition on the diversity and evolution of plants in living conditions. The museum, a glass house with the area of 464 sq. m., contains at least 200 types of both domestic and foreign plants displayed in 6 exhibitions, namely an exhibition on the diversity of plants in the rainforest or tropical rainforest, an exhibition of drought-tolerant plants, an aquatic plant exhibition, a Pteridophyte plant exhibition, an exhibition on bare seed plants, and an exhibition on the evolution of flowering plants. Our aim is for the new knowledge and innovation generated in this museum to help solve environment, economic, and social issues. Recently, we have an innovation for seedlings with high survival rate developed using Mycorrhizal Inoculum Technology by Assist. Prof. Dr. Jittra Piapukiew, a lecturer at the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science. Dr. Jittra has been studying mycorrhizal fungi for over 20 years, beginning with research on the diversity of fungi in the Nan forests and developing into the production of mycorrhizal inoculum mixed in the soil for planting seedlings of rubber trees, increasing hte survival rate of the trees in volatile climate. Chulalongkorn University has passed on the knowledge to the communities and over 3,000 rai of forests in Saraburi and 7 other provinces. In addition, apart from the trees’ survival, many edible wild mushrooms also emerge, such as barometer earthstars, head man slender Caesar, Greencracked Brittlegill, and the Sickener, creating economic value and thus motivating the locals to sustainably conserve the forest.”

Apart from the opening of the museum, the Department of Botany also organized the sustainable development activity “Planting Seedlings to Combat Global Boiling” by preparing 107 rubber seedlings from the innovation for seedlings with high survival rate project to be planted in the community, and a planting activity of “space ratchapruek trees” that have been chosen for the Asian Herb in Space (AHiS) project under the collaboration of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and partner agencies.

The Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, invites you to join a campaign to fight against global boiling by donating to fund the operations of the “Living Plant Museum” and support the teaching of the Department of Botany. For every 1,000 baht donated, you will receive 1 “seedling for global boiling” from the research and development of seedlings with high survival rate using Mycorrhizal Inoculum Technology. The first 1,000 donors will receive 1 Fight Global Boiling bag via a QR code or  https://forms.gle/WoreutYF8FLuQC3k9.

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/144729/

Chula Engineering lecturer’s innovation “The Balance Assessment Device”—gold medal winner at ITEX 2023, Malaysia, and recipient of World Invention Intellectual Property Associations’ (WIIPA) Special Award (Gold Medal)—checks body balance and balance loss for behavior changes and fall prevention to promote fall risk awareness and knowledge.

Standing in public buses, Chatchanee Pakavatsoontorn, an adjunct lecturer in the International School of Engineering (ISE), Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, has found herself losing her balance occasionally.

“Is this balance loss normal? How can I solve this to have a better balance?”  Chatchanee’s search for the answer to this question has led to her innovation, “The Balance Assessment Device,” which enables everyone to assess their balance simply by stepping onto the device. With support from the Chula Spin-off Club, this innovation has won the gold medal at the 34th International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX 2023) in addition to the World Invention Intellectual Property Associations’ (WIIPA) Special Award (Gold Medal) at the same event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“This innovation originated from the fact that I found myself frequently losing balance on public buses. Researching to find a solution, I found that a personal balance assessment device didn’t exist. This has led to this innovation which would help us train our body or adjust our behavior.”

Chatchanee aims this for such medical purposes as screening, preliminary health assessment, balance analysis for physical therapy, and exercise planning. Besides, this device can be used for personality training for certain professions.

Poor balance and ataxia: Invisible illness

Ataxia is a balance symptom found in every physical movement. An unbalanced walking causes instability and can lead to a deadly fall.

Poor balance is due to many causes, including heredity, disease, injury, lifestyle, and physical condition, especially for muscles, joints, the sensory nervous system, signal transmission, and the brain system.

“Our ears affect our balance, and irregularity in one ear can make us lose our balance while moving. Our lifestyles, especially for those in the professions that require muscular strength, also affect our balance,” Chatchanee cites a few possible causes for poor balance.

“With the naked eye, poor balance can be roughly detected. Usually, we’re only aware of our poor balance when we stagger and fall. A device that analyzes our balance can then alert us so that we can adjust our behavior and prevent any fall.”

Multiple balance analyses by a single device

A Deep Tech innovation, the Balance Assessment Device is compact, lightweight, and portable, with only two main components, namely a standing platform and a USB cord connecting it to a computer, tablet, or mobile phone for display of analysis results.

“Apart from basic data such as weight and Body Mass Index (BMI), this device can also measure our balance area and distance. With such data, we can figure out if the way we lose our balance while, for example, standing on public transport like a bus, train, boat, standing, or walking in daily life is considered normal in comparison with others of the same sex and age group. Then, we can analyze whether we need to adjust our behavior accordingly,” explains Chatchanee.

This device is user-friendly. One can simply connect the USB cord to a tablet, a mobile phone, or a computer and then step onto the platform like step procedures that of a weight scale. The balance analysis result will then be displayed in real-time with Microsoft Excel.

Anyone can assess their balance

The Balance Assessment Device is not only for elderly people but also anyone older than four (or 10 kilograms and more), including athletes, exercise people, and those who want to develop their personality. All can benefit from this innovation differently according to their age groups and needs.

Athletes and Active People 

The Balance Assessment Device can be used to analyze an individual’s balance in sports clubs or fitness centers for health enthusiasts, those who dance or do aerobics to strengthen their legs, people who work with machinery like factory workers, people who work in high places like construction workers, as well as to assess child development. Experts can then suggest training routine and behavior change accordingly.

It’s similar to step procedures on weight scales already found in fitness centers, but it can check your balance without the need to attach sensors in the body or wear a special suit.”

Personality enhancement for certain professions such as flight attendants, masters of ceremonies (MCs), newscasters, and actors.

Balance assessment for medical purposes

Having put the Balance Assessment Device into practice, Chatchanee notes, “We’ve tested in three hospitals, and the doctors have positive responses, especially for physicians and pediatricians who would like to have it for patient screening as it can assess balance, and balance area, in real-time using any device with Microsoft Excel capability without the need to install any additional software. It can help lighten the medical personnel’s load and be easily accessed by patients who live farther away from the hospitals.”

Besides, this innovation is for autistic and Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) people as well as concussion patients, as the results from their balance analyses can be applied in the planning rehabilitation process.

“Autistic and ADHD people have balance problems, and so we need to help them regain their balance and redevelop their attention.”

Apart from The Balance Assessment Device, Chatchanee has developed other devices for balance, such as her walking stick innovation “Smart Devices for People: Self Balancing Stick” and “Semisitting Vehicle”.

“Most elderly people don’t like using the walking stick: they believe it would weaken them. The walking stick considerably helps those with balance problems, and that’s why we’ve developed the Smart Flow walking stick innovation and Semisitting Vehicle innovation for them.” Moreover, we have developed semi-sitting vehicles to serve the aging society as an alternative mode of transportation and logistics in narrow spaces.

Good balance, good health

As for the future, Chatchanee plans to further develop the device so that it can also analyze data for the visual system, central nervous system (CNS), sensory nervous system, auditory system, and other systems that either connect to or affect balance.

“This innovation is a simple tool that can assist the doctor in assessing fall risks among elderly people, encouraging behavioral changes, promoting fall prevention, and raising fall risk awareness and knowledge. Anyone can use it to check their balance and status. It can help lighten the medical personnel’s load and create public well-being.”

If you’re interested in the Balance Assessment Device, please get in touch with us at [email protected], Facebook Page: Design Up, LINE Official Account: Design Up (https://lin.ee/UsxvGgv).