Students win tech award for creative invention

A group of students from the Agricultural University of Georgia claimed top spot at a Tbilisi technology contest with their invention of special motion sensor glasses for the blind.

The device allowed people with visual impairments to move freely and safely by making noises to warn the wearer about physical obstacles in their path.

The glasses were created by a group of young inventors led by students Ani Lelashvili, Giorgi Dighmelashvili and Andro Lominadze.

The inventors claimed the principal award at Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency Hackathon event. They also won the Best Design prize at the same competition.

Other contributors to the project were Tbilisi State University students Elene Sajaia and Shako Arevadze and Nika Devashvili from the No. 126 Public School.

The students, who were studying a Bachelors degree of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said they assembled the device in 48 hours.

Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency is a state organisation that specialises in promotion of innovative entrepreneurship.

The Agency also organised industrial innovation laboratories at Georgian universities and facilitated the creation of the first technology park in Georgia this year.