"INOVA" is one of the oldest scientific events organized since 1971. Every year, young scientists worldwide showcase their projects in various sections, including construction, electronics, medicine, environment, safety, sports, social innovations, and many others.

This year, Ukrainian inventors secured 15 gold medals, 10 silver, and two bronze at "INOVA."

Three of the most interesting winning projects by Ukrainian inventors:

Video Game about Cossacks by Taras Hembik

Taras developed the game "Cossack Steppes," which narrates the culture, lifestyle, and historical events of the Cossack era. With his project, Taras won gold at "INOVA" 2023.

"The idea to create the game arose before the start of the full-scale war, on February 16, Unity Day. At that time, I was so inspired that I decided to create something to showcase Ukraine's history to the world. Since I have programming skills, I chose a computer game format. I dedicated it to the Cossacks because I believe they are role models for modern Ukrainians," Taras explains.

This was his first international competition as a young developer, and he immediately won. Taras mentions that he has found friends and a team to improve the game. He aspires to have the game with impressive graphics and technical features and is actively seeking sponsors.

Polina Yarifa Investigates Air Pollution During Full-Scale War

Polina researched air pollution in Kyiv caused by solid particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5) and ozone resulting from wartime activities in Kyiv. She received a gold medal for her project at "INOVA" 2023.

Polina examined air pollution in Kyiv during the full-scale war and its impact on people's health. She conducted this research with the support of Kyiv MAA at the Institute of Public Health, analyzing air monitoring data and comparing the results with the World Health Organization and EU standards.

"At the beginning of the research, I was certain that pollution levels would decrease because major factories had shut down, and there was reduced traffic due to the war," the researcher notes. "In other words, the main factors negatively affecting Kyiv's air had disappeared. However, it turned out that the effects of the conflict were so detrimental to the environment that air pollution levels actually increased. I determined that the main pollutants in the air today are projectiles and fires caused by missile attacks."

Offline Service for Self-Guided Tours by Denis Hromovyi

Denis explains that his service consists of QR codes placed at popular tourist attractions' viewpoints and an application that reads these codes and displays their content in an augmented reality (AR) format. The process involves users scanning the QR code using the application and then pointing their device at the objects around them to receive brief information. The service's advantage is that it can be used without an internet connection or GPS.

Denis earned a gold medal at "INOVA" 2023 with his project.

In the future, he plans to implement the project as a tourist AR encyclopedia, with content created on a volunteer basis.

You can read the winners' full stories in an interview available on JAS Media.