Phung Nguyen Nhu Bach, who studies Computer Science Education at Quy Nhon University, developed RedictAI with schoolmates after a family member’s experience with diabetes prompted him to investigate complications affecting eyesight.
The system analyses uploaded retinal images to predict the risk of diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. It also provides information on the conditions’ causes, symptoms, severity and prevention. An integrated AI assistant, EyeCare, answers questions about eye diseases.
RedictAI won first prize at the inaugural Gia Lai Provincial Youth and Children’s Innovation Contest in August 2026.
Bach subsequently entered the Gia Lai Youth HackAIthon 2026 in October as an individual contestant. He was one of only two participants competing independently among the eight finalists.
For that competition, he refined the system’s data processing and changed its data stratification method. The model’s reported accuracy rose from around 92–93% to 94.4%, helping him secure third prize.
Born in 2008 and from Quy Nhon ward, Bach began exploring AI at the start of Grade 11 while attending Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted.
His first AI competition was the sixth Central Highlands Informatics Olympiad in 2025, where he won the AI category.
He and his teammates went on to take second prize at the Vietnam Artificial Intelligence Olympiad 2025, a silver medal at the Vietnam AI Championship and the runner-up position in the third season of the Vietnam AI Contest.
The competitions initially gave Bach a chance to test what he had learned through independent study.
Over time, his interest shifted towards solving practical problems and turning ideas into working products, leading him into scientific research, technical innovation and robotics.
“I believe knowledge shouldn’t be confined to textbooks but should be applied more in real life,” Bach said. “I want to see what problems I can solve with what I’ve learned and how much better I can make a product.”
That approach shaped RedictAI. After researching diabetes-related eye complications, he began exploring whether AI could analyse retinal images to detect early signs of abnormalities.
Bach is now researching ways to combine AI with 3D simulation in education. His proposed approach would allow students to practise assembling equipment on computers before working with physical components, aiming to reduce equipment requirements and expand practical learning opportunities where facilities are limited.
Le Nhu Thuong, an informatics teacher at Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted who has followed Bach’s progress since high school, said AI demands sustained effort, persistence and a willingness to keep learning.
He described Bach as having a strong foundation in applied mathematics, logical thinking and programming, alongside creativity and an ability to work well in teams.
“He has many new and creative ideas, works well in teams, and is especially diligent, eager to learn, and ambitious,” Thuong said.
Some of Phung Nguyen Nhu Bach’s achievements: AI category champion at the 6th Central Highlands Informatics Olympiad (2025), second prize at the Vietnam Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (VOAI 2025), Silver Medal at the Vietnam AI Championship (2025), runner-up at the third season of the Vietnam AI Contest (2025), first prize at the 1st Gia Lai Provincial Youth and Children’s Innovation Contest (2026), and third prize at the Gia Lai Youth HackAIthon 2026, among others.
