AT just nine years old, Siddarth Raghunathan came up with an award-winning solution to a common classroom problem – the Smart Spine Saver Schoolbag.
Concerned about the heavy schoolbags carried by pupils every day, the young inventor set out to create an alternative that could help prevent back pain and poor posture.
His invention earned him a gold medal in the Information and Communication Technology category at the World Young Inventors Exhibition (WYIE) 2026, held concurrently with the International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX).
The WYIE competition, held in Kuala Lumpur from May 18 to 19, was divided into three categories: primary school pupils aged 12 and below, secondary school students aged 13 to 17, and tertiary students aged 18 to 21.
Siddarth expressed jubilation over his win, adding that he had not expected to receive a gold medal.
Taking pride in his invention, he shared that what sets the Smart Spine Saver Schoolbag apart from other schoolbags is its ability to monitor both the weight of the bag and the pupil’s posture in real time.
The bag incorporates a load sensor connected to an Arduino Nano microcontroller that measures the weight of books inside the bag.
“If the weight is safe, a green light-emitting diode (LED) turns on.
“If the bag becomes too heavy, a red LED and a buzzer will activate immediately to warn the pupil,” the Cempaka National School, Cheras, pupil told StarEdu.
Using a tilt sensor, the system can also detect when a pupil is carrying the bag incorrectly or maintaining poor posture.
“When this happens, it immediately gives a warning using a red LED and a buzzer – helping pupils correct their posture and carry their bag in a healthier way,” he said.
Siddarth conceded that developing the prototype was no easy task, as the project took several months of research, circuit building, testing and refinement.
One of the biggest challenges, he added, was ensuring that the load sensor and microcontroller were properly connected and calibrated to provide accurate readings.
“I faced some problems when the sensor readings were not accurate and the system did not respond properly. I had to test and improve it many times until it worked correctly,” he said.
To ensure the idea addressed a genuine need, Siddarth also sought feedback from teachers and conducted testing with 23 pupils from two schools.
“Their opinions helped me understand the real problems pupils face, and it improved my invention,” he said.
Looking ahead, Siddarth hopes to further enhance the Smart Spine Saver Schoolbag by integrating a mobile application that can send alerts directly to parents.
He also plans to continue developing practical technologies that can improve everyday life.
For fellow aspiring innovators, Siddarth said age should never be seen as a barrier.
“Anyone can innovate if they observe problems and try to solve them. Age is not a limitation if we work hard and stay curious,” he said.
