Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1534344
Keith Azzopardi Tanti maltatoday | SUNDAY • 13 APRIL 2025 6 OPINION Empowering the silent voice: How innovation is giving dignity back to the most vulnerable IN our vision for Malta – a vision rooted in compassion, equity, and innovation – progress is not just measured by eco- nomic growth, but by how it uplifts the lives of the most vulnerable among us. The recent launch of the SmartGaze re- search initiative is a shining example of this philosophy in action. Cutting-edge research intersects with the very human need for dignity, autonomy, and connec- tion. Standing in the heart of Dar Bjorn, sur- rounded by individuals who face monu- mental daily challenges, I was reminded of what true courage looks like. These are people who, despite degenerative conditions such as ALS, refuse to sur- render their voice. They refuse to disap- pear into silence. SmartGaze is not merely a technologi- cal breakthrough. It is a profound social statement. Developed by a dedicated team of re- searchers at the University of Malta's Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics, SmartGaze seeks to empower individu- als with severe mobility impairments to interact with their surroundings using only their eyes. Using discreet wearable devices and artificial intelligence (AI), users can turn on lights, control tele- visions, or open curtains, actions that many of us perform without a second thought. Imagine a world where the blink of an eye is all it takes to reclaim control over your space. For people who have lost motor functions, this is not convenience. It is liberation. This project embodies our national strategy: A Malta that embraces digital transformation not as an abstract goal, but as a real, daily improvement in peo- ple's quality of life. In the words of our Vision 2050, we aim to remain a "Malta soċjali" (a social Malta); a country where no one is left behind, and where innovation serves as the backbone of both economic strength and social justice. SmartGaze forms part of a broader portfolio of ten cutting-edge research initiatives currently being supported by my secretariat, in close collaboration with the University of Malta. These pro- jects span a range of disciplines – from health and social wellbeing to aviation and quantum computing, and sustain- able technologies to combat climate change – and reflect our ongoing com- mitment to research that serves real people in real communities. This investment directly contributes to Malta's Smart Specialisation Strategy, by targeting niche areas where our country can lead through knowledge, innovation, and social impact. Our commitment is unwavering. Re- search should not live in laboratories alone. It must live in homes like Dar Bjorn. It must echo in the quiet deter- mination of people like Bjorn Formosa, who, despite his own fight against ALS, has made it his mission to ease the path for others. It has been 10 years since Bjorn re- ceived his diagnosis, and in that time, he has built not only a foundation but a movement – a beacon of hope that has touched thousands. The government will continue to be a partner to that mission. We will continue to fund research that doesn't only push boundaries but breaks them, particularly for those whose voic- es have too often been unheard. We are investing in people. In their ideas. In their needs. In their dignity. The journey of SmartGaze is not yet finished. With this next phase, the sys- tem will be refined to be even more ac- curate, comfortable, and accessible. And critically, real-life feedback from resi- dents at Dar Bjorn will directly shape its evolution. This is co-creation at its most meaningful – science listening to the lived experience. As parliamentary secretary for youth, research and innovation, I am proud of our researchers, inspired by our com- munities, and humbled by the resilience I witnessed at Dar Bjorn. The future of innovation in Malta is bright, not be- cause of the machines we build, but be- cause of the lives we are determined to change. Let us continue to invest in a Malta that doesn't just advance, but includes, uplifts, and heals. Keith Azzopardi Tanti is parliamentary secretary for youth, research and innovation Cutting-edge research intersects with the very human need for dignity, autonomy, and connection