Highlights
- Daniya Syed is a finalist of the 2021 NSW Women of the Year Award.
- She is creating an operational robot that can work as a personal medical assistant.
- She has been representing Australia in international robotics competitions since age 13.
Developing a bionic hand, making a heart rate monitor and representing Australia’s youth in international robotics competitions are only some of Daniya Syed’s achievements from a long list of a short academic life so far.
For her pursuit of excellence, the Year 11 student made it to the list of finalists for the 2021 NSW Women of the Year Award.
This 17-year-old girl of Pakistani-origin is the only young girl from the Greater Sydney region to be selected as a finalist in the 'The One to Watch’ category of the award.
A student of Sydney’s Unity Grammar School, she is also the youngest female member of Australia’s Pakistani community to qualify for this award.
Daniya has represented Australia at international robotics competitions since the age of 13. She has to innovate on and developing hardware, robotic, and engineering projects to her credit.
Daniya Syed (L) with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Source: Syed Atif Faheem
Currently, she is working on a bionic arm. What would that be?
Shedding light on her latest innovation, Daniya tells SBS Urdu that this device can mimic what the human hand can do so much so that it can open and close its fingers.
“The bionic hand is fully functional now and is part of a larger upcoming project that I am working on, which is a fully-operational robot that will work as a personal assistant for medical purposes,” Daniya says excitedly.
She also plays a key role in community and charity organisations to support underprivileged people and promote a positive image of Pakistan.
Daniya with her robotic device. Source: Syed Atif Faheem
Daniya says she wants to pursue engineering in robotics at university but her short-term goal is to get her medical assistant up and running.
Until Year 6, Daniya was not interested in engineering at all, and her dad would take her to the local library to learn computer programming but she didn't like it.
In Year 7, her school had robotics, which she joined and has since then developed an interest in the subject.
“I became interested in robotics after seeing robots,” she says.
Daniya says that nothing is impossible for girls to achieve.
Daniya at work on the programming of her project. Source: Syed Atif Faheem
“Girls should not assume that any field of study is not for them. If they are passionate about technology then they should follow their dreams despite the hurdles,” she signs off.
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