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Nguyen Duong Kim Hao, 12, was awarded the gold prize for his smart control panel by the Korea Invention Academy at the International Invention,  Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2013, held in Malaysia on May 11th.

A smart control panel is a software program that allows people to control the on/off switch of every electronic system in a house, company or factory without leaving the room they are sitting.

Kim Hao, one of Vietnam’s child prodigies, is currently both a class six pupil at Nguyen Gia Thieu Secondary School in Tan Binh District and a student of the FPT-APTECH center.

For winning first prize at the National Youth Computer Competition last year, Hao was able to study two free courses on computer programming at FPT-APTECH. It was the first time the child prodigy joined a class with adults in it, as well as the start of his computer programming period.

Tran Thi Huong, a computer programming teacher at FPT-APTECH, said, “At first, I thought Hao was an adult with a  ‘young’ body. After learning that he is only 12, I was very surprised ! Because he has very good knowledge about programming, is able to understand new lessons quickly and is able to help his ‘big’ friends.”

At home, he usually makes all of his electronic experiments to create the smart control panel, which now has an alarm bell function in case thieves break into a house. All of the necessary equipment was bought from Nhat Tao market on his own.

When asked how he can create such devices when he has just studied physics for four months, Hao shared, “I study by myself from the forums on the internet. They explain almost everything that I can learn, so I don’t need to ask more.”

Bringing up talent

Before moving to HCMC, Hao lived and studied in Binh Phuc Nhut District of Tien Giang Province. “After he won the National Youth Computer Competition, I decided to move to HCMC, so that he can be in the right place to help his talent grow”, recalled Duong Tran Thanh Thao, Hao’s mother.

Since Thao doesn’t have much money, they have to live in a small apartment with other relatives on Nghia Phat Street in Tan Binh District, while Hao’s father, Nguyen Kim Hai, remains in their hometown.

“Now he can find everything he needs in HCMC and doesn’t need to worry if his equipment breaks. Tt’s hard to find such things in our hometown”, Thao shared.

Every day, after classes, Hao goes home and immerses himself in his electronic world. He freely does experiments with his equipment before going to bed at 10pm, like other children.

Not only in class but also at home, Hao always surprises people with his inventions. Not long ago, he created a music box for his mother’s birthday.

Asked about his dream, he said, “I want to become a good computer programmer and to have my father work on electronics with me. Doing this alone is very boring and when I have problems, no one can help me.”

Thanks to the HCMC Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union providing Hao with a scholarship of VND 20 million, he has the opportuniy to fulfill his plans, one of which is a program that helps teachers remotely use computers during class. “The current program only allows them to control slides in PowerPoint. But my upcoming program will provide them with many other functions, such as crossword puzzles and sound effects, which will make the lessons more attractive”, the little inventor revealed.