He participated in the HealthBot contest organised by Fattore J with a device for the early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
Tommaso Caligari, 19 years old, a student at ITIS ‘Omar’ in Novara, was named ‘Alfiere della Repubblica’ (Standard-bearer of the Republic) by President Sergio Mattarella ‘for having invented an artificial intelligence device that allows for the early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. His passion for technology is great, but his social sensitivity is also strong’.
We met Tommaso during the RomeCup 2024, where he took part in the HealthBot contest with Parkinson Detector, a project developed as part of the Fattore J programme, created with Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine [see the news item Early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease]. His idea is based on a personal experience: the difficulties experienced by his grandfather pushed him to look for a technological solution to improve the lives of people with Parkinson's disease. At the age of just 17 he designed a device for early diagnosis, which he decided to make available free of charge.
His proposal attracted the attention of the jury at the RomeCup and other international awards and now also that of the President of the Italian Republic. The theme chosen for the 2024 edition of the certificate of honour is ‘New paths for solidarity’, with a particular focus on young people who use scientific and technological skills to address social problems.
Congratulations to Tommaso from the whole Fondazione Mondo Digitale!
