PHILIPPINES — Two University of the Philippines Diliman projects aimed at improving the lives of dialysis and stroke patients have secured top honors at the 2026 James Dyson Award Philippines. The groundbreaking innovations highlight the ingenuity of Filipino engineering students in addressing critical healthcare challenges.
BiDaKidney Clinches National Title
BiDaKidney, developed by Andrew Jacob Buensalido and Allyson Cabrestante, emerged as the national winner. The device is a low-cost, semi-automated peritoneal dialysis machine designed to work with widely available manual PD sets.
The machine automates the dialysis process using a series of pumps and load cells, reducing the risk of infection from manual fluid exchanges. At just 2.5 kilograms, it is lightweight enough for patients to carry and use at home, school, or work. The project offers automated therapy at around $100, roughly one percent of the cost of commercial cyclers.
Buensalido said their guiding principle was to help patients spend less time managing dialysis and more time living. He noted that if treatment at home becomes simpler, safer, and cheaper, patients can continue their care with greater confidence and independence.
OrthoFlex Named National Runner-Up
The second winning project, OrthoFlex, was developed by Jabez Bote and Ada Koreen Bacay. It is a motor-driven elbow exoskeleton that delivers precise and repetitive flexion-extension therapy for stroke patients outside hospitals.
The device secures the patient's affected arm with Velcro straps and uses a companion smartphone app to set exercise types. With a calculated retail price of only PHP10,000, it provides an affordable alternative to similar products costing at least PHP25,000.
This innovation addresses a critical need in the Philippines, where stroke is a leading cause of disability. Recovery of arm function often depends on frequent, repetitive therapy within six months after a stroke, which many patients cannot afford.
A Journey of Refinement
The BiDaKidney team made several design changes during development, shifting from DC motors to stepper motors and adding a cooling fan to prevent overheating. They also developed a dual-tube clamp to resolve leakage and backflow issues.
The machine received positive feedback from PD nurses and nephrologists at the Philippine Children's Medical Center. Future development will focus on adding audio cues to indicate treatment phases and integrating electronics into a single printed circuit board for scalable manufacturing.
A Platform for Global Recognition
Both projects will advance to the next stage of the James Dyson Award, competing against national winners from other countries. A global team of Dyson engineers will select the international Top 20 shortlist, to be announced on October 14, 2026.
The international and sustainability winners will be announced on November 4, 2026. The James Dyson Award is an annual international design competition organized by the James Dyson Foundation in the United Kingdom for young engineers developing products that solve real-world problems.
