On April 12, 2025, finalists from Vancouver’s District Science Fair (VDSF) competed in the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair (GVRSF). This event brings together students from 10 school districts in the Lower Mainland, including more than 100,000 students from grades 7-12 in public, private, independent and home schools. 

Several VSB students share their experiences at the regional competition. Jora Singh Nahal, a Grade 10 student from University Hill Secondary, shares his experience below.
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My innovation is called DeviceABLE, a first-of-its-kind computer accessibility app. It is AI-powered, hands-free and voice-controlled. My novel app helps users fully operate computers hands-free. It automates complex tasks with just one simple voice command. DeviceABLE will be a game-changer for people with various disabilities. It will also be helpful for the elderly, those who are not tech-savvy, busy professionals and others. 

During COVID, I started spending more time on the computer as I self-taught myself coding. I began experiencing mild wrist and back pain, so I got this idea. When I started researching, I learned there’s a huge product gap. I also found that 1.3 billion people have a disability and 40 per cent of people with motor skill disabilities face difficulties using their hands. I realized that accessing computers is something many of us take for granted. For some, hands-free computing is desirable and convenient. For people with various disabilities, it is essential. This realization became the true motivation behind DeviceABLE. 

The science fair community is more than just science. It has played a pivotal role in my journey since Grade 4. Participating in science fairs has been a fun and enriching experience at all levels, from VDSF to GVRSF and to the national level at the Canada-Wise Science Fair (CWSF). I won a gold medal at GVRSF this year, the UBC Computer Science Award first place prize, and was selected again for CWSF, which will be held in Fredericton, NB, from May 31-June 7, 2025. 

Science fairs are highly rewarding and memorable. They shape your academic and career goals. You make new friends and connections. You learn a lot by working on your project for months or years, presenting it many times to judges and visitors, and seeing other amazing projects. 

I would like to thank everyone who motivated and supported my app: testers, Technology for Living, Neil Squire Society and Spinal Cord Injury BC and U-Hill Secondary School. I’m also grateful to all the science fair members, judges and volunteers who work countless hours behind the scenes to make such events possible.
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If Jora and his project sound familiar, you may have recognized him from our VDSF reel below!