Addressing farmers' needs
LotusEase is a product of the collaboration between students of Mechanical Engineering (University of Technical Education - University of Danang) and students of Economics and International Business (University of Economics - University of Danang), under the guidance of Dr. Bui Van Hung, lecturer of University of Technical Education - University of Danang.
The group of authors consists of 6 students: Vo Du Dinh, Mai Duc Hung, Nguyen Hung Tam, Le Anh Van, Pham Thi Thu Thuy and Le Thi Cam Doan. It is known that the idea of implementing the project was formed by the group in September 2024, originating from the desire to solve the difficult problem in agricultural product processing, specifically separating fresh lotus seeds.
Student Le Thi Cam Doan, a member of the project team, said that in many lotus growing areas in Vietnam such as Quang Tri, Hue, Dong Thap or Quang Nam, lotus seeds are an important source of livelihood for people. However, the process of peeling fresh lotus seeds, although seemingly simple, is actually the biggest “bottleneck” in the value chain of this agricultural product.
"Doing it by hand is labor-intensive, low-productivity, and easily breaks the seeds, while machines on the market today mainly serve dried lotus seeds at high costs and are not suitable for the scale of craft villages.
We are struggling to find a way to help farmers reduce their hardships, and bring technical equipment into agriculture to support effective separation of fresh lotus seed shells. In the test, LotusEase can process up to 50kg of seeds/hour, keeping the average intact seed rate at 88-91%" - Cam Doan shared.
Towards green, sustainable agriculture.
LotusEase semi-automatic fresh lotus seed shelling machine has a compact design, is easy to maintain and is suitable for small production households, cooperatives and traditional craft villages.
Student Nguyen Hung Tam - a project member said that the machine consists of parts such as a feeder, electric motor, lotus seed separator...
The operating principle of the machine is also quite simple and easy to use. Users only need to classify lotus seeds by size and put them into the machine, plug in the power; the rest of the machine will automatically process and produce the product, classifying the shell and seeds separately, keeping the percentage of whole seeds very high.
[VIDEO] - LotusEase Project - Semi-automatic fresh lotus seed shelling machine
Not only focusing on technology, the group also focuses on building a feasible commercialization model, aiming at sustainable development. LotusEase has now completed the prototype and is being tested in some lotus growing areas in Da Nang, receiving feedback and high appreciation from the people.
With this initial success, the group aims to expand to the Mekong Delta region - where there is a large lotus area and high demand for mechanization. Therefore, the group is researching the integration of solar energy to operate the machine and utilize the by-products after separation to make organic fertilizer - a direction in line with the trend of green, sustainable agriculture.
Since its launch, LotusEase has won a special prize at a school-level startup competition and received attention from businesses in the agricultural equipment sector. This not only demonstrates the practicality of the product but also opens up the potential for commercialization and replication on a national scale.
According to Dr. Bui Van Hung, Lecturer at the University of Technical Education - Danang University - project guide, from an idea in the classroom, LotusEase is gradually entering life, promising to create positive changes for the agricultural processing industry in Vietnam. LotusEase also demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit from the practical needs of the people - something that many startups are pursuing...
"There are many pre-processing machines on the market today, but they are quite expensive. The team's successful research into a product with a cost suitable for farmers' needs and practices has solved the above problem. In the future, the team plans to continue researching and developing products with a closed pre-processing process from input materials (lotus pods) to finished output (peeled lotus seeds)," said Dr. Bui Van Hung.
Associate Professor, Dr. Vo Trung Hung, Vice Principal of the University of Technical Education - University of Danang, said that to create a bridge between research groups and student start-up projects with the external ecosystem, the school has built an internal innovation ecosystem.
At the same time, develop the school's first campus into Hud Innovation (innovation center), in conjunction with businesses to set up laboratories and research centers. In addition, support students in research in the direction of application, from topics to innovative startup projects.
The school will actively participate in the national, regional and city innovation and startup ecosystem; promote cooperation with innovation and startup incubation centers. From there, step by step help students gain knowledge, experience, as well as specific results in the field of innovation and startup.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vo Trung Hung, Vice Principal of University of Technical Education - University of Danang
Source: https://baodanang.vn/tu-du-an-sinh-vien-den-chung-ket-khoi-nghiep-surf-2025-3297833.html
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