Written by : Mu YunZhu
Yunnan Commercial Representative Office in Colombo, Sri Lanka
iman was educated at Nalanda College in Colombo before he went to Beihang University in China. Thereafter, he obtained a scholarship, winning the first prize for the Feng Ru Cup – one of the biggest university innovation competitions in China. He was the first foreign winner among thousands of Chinese students. He invented a pair of gloves for deaf and blind children to help them understand the world better. Winning the Feng Ru Cup allowed him to join Microsoft Research in China and work on AI and machine learning at a young age.
He now lives and works in China most of the time. “It was a blessing for me to be part of the digital transformation journey starting in 2009 in Beijing,” he said. At the 2017 Chinese New Year gala, he created smart gloves that connected 165 dancers, collaborating with Intel using AI technology.
As an inventor with multiple patents and design awards, he observed how China took a new turn to innovate and be motivated, and how small or medium-sized businesses rose up to become unicorns, helping build the economy through digital services.
Biman is passionate about creating a new wave of digital diagnostics for the consumer health sector, especially in mental health. His work is published in many academic journals for using artificial intelligence to detect depression and anxiety from speech signals. His groundbreaking work is now actively being used as a depression screening tool. His aim is to help 1 billion people around the world who are suffering from mental illnesses using the power of AI technology.
“People used to go out shopping with a wallet. But now, most Chinese use their smartphone for payment.
Seldom do people use a wallet for payment. It happened in just three years and was a fascinating experience and something we can adopt in Sri Lanka.”
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he said. He noted that the major difference between life in Sri Lanka and China lies in the work-life balance. “Work culture in China is extremely demanding. It is not easy to find time to enjoy the little things in life. Before Covid-19, we spent more time on a flight or in a taxi than on a cozy couch at home. In Sri Lanka, I would say things are relatively slow. We have more holidays than most countries, which helps to spend more time with family. In China, your friends become your family, and your family becomes the virtual family due to the distance.”
Regarding education, he doesn’t see much of a difference, as the overall literacy rate with the free education system is similar in both countries. “We tend to work hard in high school, which is similar to Chinese students as they have to pass the national university entrance examination. I remember studying for over 16 hours a day when I was in high school. I don’t see a difference in effort, but there is a difference in results when it comes to innovation. You need to have the infrastructure to innovate. For example, machine shops, hardware shops, 3D printing facilities, good logistics, and access to talent and mentorship. We lack the infrastructure in Sri Lanka, which I am trying to help the country build,” he said.
As part of this effort during the Covid-19 pandemic, we were able to take Sri Lankan graphite and use it to produce a graphene-based sensor to create smart biodegradable masks, together with Sri Lankan scientists. Our efforts were highlighted in the World Economic Forum as one of the best inventions in the category.
“But no matter which country, it is important that the new generation learns the relevant skills. We should not ask them what they want to be when they grow up. We should ask what problems they wish to solve. We also need to spend more time practicing mindfulness. A deeper understanding and peace within will help us connect better with nature and the environment.”
You need to have the infrastructure to innovate. For example, machine shops, hardware shops, 3D printing facilities, good logistics and access to talent and mentorship.“We lack the infrastructure in Sri Lanka which I am trying to help the country build,” he said.
“But no matter which country, it is important that the new generation learn the relevant skills.We should not ask them what they want to be when they grow up. We should ask what problems they wish to solve when they grow up. We also need to spend more time practising mindfulness. A deeper understanding and peace within will help us connect better with nature and the environment.”