Addressing the needs of farmers
LotusEase is a product of the collaboration between students from the Mechanical Engineering Department (University of Technical Education - Da Nang University) and students from the Economics and International Business Department (University of Economics - Da Nang University), under the guidance of Dr. Bui Van Hung, lecturer at the University of Technical Education - Da Nang University.
The team of authors consists of six students: Vo Du Dinh, Mai Duc Hung, Nguyen Hung Tam, Le Anh Van, Pham Thi Thu Thuy, and Le Thi Cam Doan. The idea for the project was conceived in September 2024, stemming from a desire to solve a challenging 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 regions of Vietnam such as Quang Tri, Hue, Dong Thap, and Quang Nam , lotus seeds are an important source of livelihood for the people. However, the seemingly simple process of shelling fresh lotus seeds is actually the biggest "bottleneck" in this agricultural product's value chain.
"Doing it by hand is laborious, has low productivity, and easily breaks the seeds, while the machinery currently on the market mainly serves the drying of lotus seeds, is expensive, and is not suitable for the scale of the craft village."
"We were concerned about how to help farmers reduce their workload and introduce technical equipment into agriculture to support the efficient shelling of fresh lotus seeds. Through testing, LotusEase can process up to 50kg of seeds per hour, maintaining an average intact seed rate of 88-91%," Cam Doan shared.
Towards green and sustainable agriculture.
The LotusEase semi-automatic fresh lotus seed shelling machine has a compact design, is easy to maintain, and is suitable for small-scale producers, cooperatives, and traditional craft villages.
Student Nguyen Hung Tam, a member of the project, said that the machine consists of parts such as a feeder, an electric motor, and lotus seed separating blades…
The machine's operating principle is quite simple and easy to use. Users only need to sort the lotus seeds by size, put them into the machine, and plug it in; the machine will automatically process the rest, separating the shells from the seeds, and maintaining a very high percentage of whole seeds.
[VIDEO] - LotusEase Project - Semi-automatic fresh lotus seed shelling machine
Beyond focusing on technical aspects, the team also prioritizes building a viable commercialization model aimed at sustainable development. LotusEase has now completed its prototype and is being tested in several lotus-growing areas in Da Nang, receiving positive feedback and high praise from local people.
With this initial success, the team aims to expand to the Mekong Delta region – an area with large lotus cultivation and a high demand for mechanization. Therefore, the team is researching the integration of solar energy to power the machines and utilizing by-products after separation to make organic fertilizer – a direction in line with the trend of green, sustainable agriculture.
From its launch, LotusEase 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 nationwide scaling up.
According to Dr. Bui Van Hung, Lecturer at the University of Technical Education - Da Nang University - who supervised the project, LotusEase, which started as an idea in the classroom, is gradually entering real life, promising to create positive changes for Vietnam's agricultural processing industry. LotusEase also demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit stemming from the practical needs of the people - something many startups are pursuing…
"Currently, there are many processing machines on the market, but they are quite expensive. The research team's successful development of a product at a cost suitable for the needs and practices of farmers has solved this problem. In the future, the team aims to continue researching and developing a product with a closed-loop processing system from raw materials (lotus pods) to finished products (shelled lotus seeds)," said Dr. Bui Van Hung.
Associate Professor Vo Trung Hung, Vice Rector of the University of Technical Education - Da Nang University, said that to create a bridge between research groups and student startup projects with the external ecosystem, the university has built an internal innovation ecosystem.
Simultaneously, the university's first campus will be developed into Hud Innovation (an innovation center), collaborating with businesses to set up laboratories and research centers. In addition, support will be provided to students for applied research, transforming research topics into innovative startup projects.
The school will actively participate in the national, regional, and city-level innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem; and strengthen cooperation with innovation and entrepreneurship incubation centers. This will gradually help students gain knowledge, experience, and concrete results in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vo Trung Hung, Vice Rector of the University of Technical Education - Da Nang University
Source: https://baodanang.vn/tu-du-an-sinh-vien-den-chung-ket-khoi-nghiep-surf-2025-3297833.html
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