Global Indianstory Global Indian YouthJui Keskar: Bringing relief to Parkinson’s patients with a wearable device that tracks tremors

Jui Keskar: Bringing relief to Parkinson’s patients with a wearable device that tracks tremors

Written by: Charu Thakur

(August 12, 2022) India is home to 0.58 million persons living with Parkinson’s disease, and Pune-based inventor Jui Keskar’s abode was no different. Having seen her uncle battle the illness for the past nine years with incessant rounds to the hospitals, she was keen to help him. But how was the question that kept gnawing at her? However, the lockdown in 2020 turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the teenager as it gave her the time to dive into research and find a potential solution to helping her uncle. While scrolling through heaps of data on the internet, the innovator realised that the medication depended on the tremor history, and there was no device to measure them.

That was a turning point for this Global Indian as she decided to develop a wearable device to measure tremors and analyse data to chalk out a customised medication for the treatment.

“The disease causes involuntary tremors, and my 42-year-old uncle could not control them. I’ve seen him in this state for almost nine years. I observed that doctors administered or prescribed medication based on the frequency of the occurrence of these tremors, but there was no device to measure them,” the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022 recipient told Better India.

Jui Keskar

After months of hard work, the innovator nailed the solution in JTremor-3D, a wearable device that enables the tracking of tremors every 1/10th of a second in a person’s body, and stores the data in a Cloud database, which is then sent to the doctor after the information is processed. Embedded with sensors and accelerometers and gyro meters, this device helps in producing the data that can help determine the course of action for a patient.

Brainstorming for the possible solution, she found her inspiration in a quote she read a while ago – ‘One cannot control what one cannot measure’. It stayed with her for a while and helped her realise that the only way to control the tremors would be to measure them.

But to reach a plausible solution, she had to go through permutation and combination. “Research showed that such devices already exist, but they’re bulky and limited to only clinical trials and research purposes. There were no wearable devices that were of everyday use or that could allow doctors to prescribe medication according to the needs of the patients,” she added. This led her to work on JTremor3D – which was initially designed as a small box that needed to be strapped to the body. However, a few prototypes later she zeroed in on a hand glove, which is priced at ₹9000.

The innovation won her many accolades including Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Ignited mind Children Creativity and Innovation Award 2020, Grand Award at IRIS National Fair 2021, and Science Seed award at ISEF from Society of Science, USA 2021. However, the more was published about her innovation, the more she realised the huge information gap exists among patients and families in towns and villages in India. That’s when she started Why Beat-The-Tremor Foundation with the aim “to bridge this gap with the mission to support the patients of Parkinson’s Disease in India, virtually for now,” reads the website.” There is a need to capture and curate relevant information (suitable diet, exercises, treatment options) and make it available to the patients and their family members in the language of their choice,” adds the innovator.

Having already filed for the patent, she intends to make it available in the market as soon as possible. She is inspired to help patients get better treatment, and she is leaving no stone unturned to make it happen.

Follow Jui Keskar on Linkedin

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

1 Comment

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

shreya

December 11, 2023 1:46 pm

that’s sooo good

Published on 12, Aug 2022

Share with

ALSO READ

Kavya Kopparapu: Indian-American innovator’s device can predict brain tumours in seconds

(August 21, 2022) In the summer of 2017, while reading a story about the US Senator John McCain, who was then battling the aggressive brain cancer - glioblastoma, Virgina-based Kaavya Kopparapu stumbled upon some startling facts. A high school junior then, she was shocked to learn that the prognosis for glioblastoma hasn't improved in 30 years, and the patients typically survive for only 11 months after the diagnosis. The disturbing reality led her into cancer research, wherein she found a disconnect - as most research was focussed on diagnosing and treating cancer, using the cancer's genetic signature to find the most effective treatment was a territory less explored. "To me, that was really surprising because we know so much more about the brain now, and we have so many improved chemotherapy and surgery techniques. It blew my mind that, despite all of that, we haven't gotten any better at improving patient quality of life and prognosis," the innovator told Harvard Edu. This led the Global Indian to invent GlioVision, a deep-learning computer system powered by artificial intelligence that predicts brain tumour characteristics in a matter of seconds, with 100 percent accuracy and in the cost of traditional methods. Talking about

ter of seconds, with 100 percent accuracy and in the cost of traditional methods. Talking about the innovation, she told Harvard Edu, "Around 40 percent of glioblastoma patients have a genetic mutation that renders the standard treatment completely ineffective. So, these patients receive all the negative side effects of chemotherapy without any of the benefits of the treatment. That shows why genetic testing is so important."

[caption id="attachment_21081" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Kavya Kopparapu[/caption]

The innovation, which has been granted a patent, won her the 2018 Davidson Institute for Talent Development Scholar Laureate, 2018 Regeneron Science Talent Search Finalist, and 2018 US Presidential Scholar. Kavya, who also made it to TIME's 25 Most Influential Teens of 2018, is currently a senior at Harvard University.

This love for science developed as early as middle school when Kavya saw two scientists performing an elephant toothpaste experiment at a science fair. "Basically, it's when two chemicals are poured into a beaker together, and you get this giant column of foam that shoots up through the reaction. Seeing that as a sixth-grader, I was like, Woah, that’s cool. I want to do stuff like that as a job," she told Seventeen. That was the beginning of her inning in the world of STEM, as the innovator fell in the love with engineering and understood how it could be used to impact people's lives.

And she did exactly that when at age 16, she helped her grandfather, who was suffering from diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that damages blood vessels in the retina and can lead to complete loss of vision by making Eyeagnosis, a 3D printed smartphone app that recognises signs of diabetic retinopathy in photos of eyes and offer a preliminary diagnosis. She understood that timely diagnosis was important. "The lack of diagnosis is the biggest challenge. In India, there are programmes that send doctors into villages and slums, but there are a lot of patients and only so many ophthalmologists. What if there was a cheap, easy way for local clinicians to find new cases and refer them to a hospital?" the innovator told HerStory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iBHBZ6Lce4

An alumnus of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Northern Virginia, Kavya also runs Girls Computing League, a non-profit dedicated to girls and low-income students' access to advanced computer science topics to encourage more diversity in the tech field. "We're really focused on teaching emerging technology to students across the world. We're actually the first organisation to hold an artificial intelligence conference for high school students," added the girl whose non-profit is now in 15 states of the US as well as in Japan. In the last few years, it has supported many initiatives including the biggest high school AI conference, coding clubs at schools, teacher professional development workshops and more. For the innovator, working for Girls Computing Code is the biggest achievement so far. "Being able to directly interface with the people that I’m impacting at our events has been amazing. They’re the whole reason that I do it."

Follow Kavya Kopparapu on Linkedin and Twitter

Reading Time: 4 min

Sarvesh Prabhu’s bio-insecticide is a boon for farmers

(February 18, 2023) Sarvesh Prabhu can leave audiences spellbound with his live performances of Carnatic music, beat you at a game of chess or show you some swift swimming strokes. Playing a piano comes naturally to him. Academics? Well, he is good at that too. When he is not doing any of the above, you can find him patiently searching for insect larvae in the millet field, in the middle of a hot afternoon! The 17-year-old represented India at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Atlanta, USA last year and won the third prize and US $1000 in the biochemistry category for developing a cost-effective bio-insecticide from the leaves of the ‘bullock’s heart’ (Annona reticulata) popularly known as Ramphal. “My diverse interests and activities have helped me develop into a well-rounded individual capable of bringing joy, creativity, and compassion to the world,” smiles Sarvesh Prabhu, a research intern at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, in conversation with Global Indian. How it began During the pandemic-induced lockdown, Prabhu took to gardening, like many others. “But the yield was disappointing due to insect damage. After some thinking and a few experiments, I created a

="https://www.globalindian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian.

How it began

During the pandemic-induced lockdown, Prabhu took to gardening, like many others. “But the yield was disappointing due to insect damage. After some thinking and a few experiments, I created a bio-insecticide using Ramphal as it was the only tree in my garden that wasn’t damaged by pests,” says the youngster. It taught him the basics of chemistry, biochemistry, and entomology. “It ended up creating an affordable solution for small-scale farmers.”

The project titled, ‘A novel study of bio-insecticidal properties of Annona reticulata’ showcased the bio-insecticidal properties of the leaves of the plant. Traditionally, the extracts of various parts of this plant have been used to treat diseases like dysentery and pediculosis. The study revealed that extracts from its leaves could be effective against three disastrous pests, with the mortality rate ranging from 78-88%.

The use of chemical insecticides increases the cost of cultivation from ₹2,000 to ₹4,200 per acre, they also destroy the beneficial insects and contaminate the soil and food produce. On the other hand, bio-insecticide is eco-friendly and the cost of making the insecticide from leaves costs ₹27 per litre, making it affordable.

Global reach

“The solution not only protects crops but also generates additional income through selling the fruits for food and the leaves for producing the bio-pesticide,” points out Sarvesh, who presented the outcome of his research at the world’s largest pre-college science fair in Atlanta.

For Sarvesh, the ISEF will always hold a special place in his heart. “Interacting with delegates and individuals who shared similar aspirations broadened my perspective,” recalls the young researcher, describing the competition as nerve-wracking.

Post his first overseas trip to US, Sarvesh traveled to the UK and then to South Korea as part of the Atlas fellowship and Korean Cultural Centre India respectively in October-November last year.

“These trips have been instrumental in shaping my personality,” says the youngster, who was also awarded the first prize and Rs one lakh by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, as part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Innovation Award for School Children.

Diversity at home

The son of a central government employee, Sarvesh was born in Lucknow and studied across India, including including Mumbai, Bangalore, Kozhikode, Raipur and finally Hyderabad. “My father's job required frequent relocations, which allowed me to learn new languages and cultures,” says the youngster, whose mother is a home maker.

Academics, he says, was never challenging for him, although he was often close to the attendance cutoff. “Nonetheless, I wrote my exams with confidence and passed them easily,” adds Sarvesh, who describes his school days as being "seldom in school" as his focus was on learning and exploring the world through interactions with people and their experiences.

Exploring scientific research

His internship at the ICRISAT's Entomology department commenced in September last year. It offered him an opportunity to gain practical experience in insect biology and research.

“I learn the methods for rearing insects and studying their life cycles. Besides, I participate in bioassays, such as detached leaf and pod bioassays and diet feed-based bioassays,” explains the XII student of FIIT JEE junior college, Hyderabad.

Visiting ICRISAT at least thrice a week, he also gained expertise in Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis and basic phytochemical testing.

Sarvesh says ICRISAT's Entomology unit has one of the best insect-rearing facilities in India, maintaining five to six insect cultures year-round and providing a regular supply of insect cultures and training on rearing and screening protocols to other research institutions.

“My internship with Dr. Jagdish Jaba, Scientist in the Entomology department, is extremely beneficial. I gained a lot of knowledge about insects and research methods. The guidance for research is excellent,” he says.

What’s in store?

As for his future plans, Sarvesh wants to pursue a career in research and natural sciences. “But right now, my entire focus is on preparing for my board exams (in February-March).”

Sarvesh is also a socially conscious person who strives to make a positive impact on the community. “I established ‘The Healing Hut’ a non-profit organization aimed at making mental therapy accessible to those who might not otherwise have access,” says the youngster, who has been able to provide a path of recovery and healing to many people struggling with mental health issues.

Follow Sarvesh Prabhu on Linkedin

Reading Time: 5 min

Angad Daryani: Infusing ‘praan’ into the environment by cutting down air pollution

(June 2, 2024) Blue skies, no masks, and clean air - that's how entrepreneur Angad Daryani and his clean tech startup Praan vision the world. An inspiration that he found while growing up with asthma in the heart of Mumbai. Each year, he would move to the hills during Diwali to breathe clean air. His constant struggle with air pollution in a country that comprises the 21 most polluted cities in the world was nothing short of a nightmare. But it wasn't until he shifted to the US for his higher studies that Angad's idea of making a change started taking shape after he realised that the air was more breathable. He wanted his family and friends to breathe the same clean air, but without dislocating them. That's when Praan started to take its form, a startup that doesn't clean up the atmosphere, instead, it creates localised hotspots of clean air in places that require it the most. "All I wanted to do was to figure out if at all it was possible to improve outdoor air quality, without government policy, without changes in consumer behaviour in short term, and to create a healthier environment through the private sector. Sounds

in short term, and to create a healthier environment through the private sector. Sounds crazy and unrealistic. Definitely was. Until we made it realistic," the entrepreneur said.

[caption id="attachment_20965" align="aligncenter" width="5760"] Angad Daryani is the founder of Praan.[/caption]

It was during his second year at the Georgia Institute of Technology while working on Project Breathe that it dawned upon him that while his parents' generation grew up excited for a bright future, the youngsters his age were reading about animals going extinct or water and air pollution. The apprehension of an uncertain and bleak future led him to bring about a change, and he found the solution in filter-less technology that took three years to prototype and develop. "At Praan, we believe that any technology built to tackle climate change or public health catastrophes should be a net positive. Hence, we spend our time building filterless, adaptable, and affordable devices which solve the problem at scale. Our technologies adapt to changing weather conditions and ensure that all captured pollutants are recycled," reads Praan website.

The low-cost and AI-based outdoor air purification systems come with a fan that pulls in polluted air, and filtered particles settle down in a collection chamber. Once filled, it notifies the customer who can empty it and put it back again, which according to the 23-year-old is a "30-second process." It was the challenging infrastructure requirement that prompted Angad to look at a solution that needed near zero maintenance. That's when the idea of filter-less technology came in. "We remove pollution from the air without any replaceable filters. So, there is no maintenance cost in owing these devices. Our mission is clean air for all. Our hardware has to be low cost," the Global Indian added.

What began as a project at Georgia Tech has now taken the form of a company that's growing and expanding, with the help of engineers, designers, and volunteers. Two years since its inception, the startup deployed its first product in India in June 2019 and has been working on improving it with better manufacturing quality and research. In February 2022, Praan secured $1.56 million in funding from Social Impact Capital which understands the need for a solution to the problem of air pollution that kills over 70 million people every year.

While Praan has catapulted Angad into the league of deep tech startup entrepreneurs, he has always been a keen learner. As young as eight, he made his first robot and by the time he turned 13, he had built his prototype of RepRap 3D printer. A self-learner who credits the internet for learning, dropped out of school in Class 9 as he "didn't want to rote learn concepts anymore" and started home-schooling. By 16, he was running two companies (Shark Kits and Makers Asylums) "which create products that engender curiosity and innovation." The entrepreneur and his team also developed a Virtual Brailler (in collaboration with MIT Media Labs) that converts any PDF document into braille.

But it is Praan that's helping Angad create the right impact with his work. Currently, the startup has found schools and industrial sites as its initial customers. So how does it work? Praan leases the hardware to its customers for a fixed price per month per device, which is then placed in strategic locations keeping in mind the architecture of the street, airflow, and pollution dynamics. "We have a process where we study the site and the pollution dynamics, we are able to analyse it in software, place our devices in the software as we place them in the real world, understand the impact, optimise it, and then install our hardware in the real world," he told YourStory. Praan aims to create hyper-local zones in places like malls, hotels, schools, and gardens with its flagship product Mach One.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gT97JwNOBE

With one office in California and another in Mumbai, Praan is now planning to expand through B2B deployments. "Climate problems can only be solved through deep-tech and hardware, and one has to change the world to deploy these solutions. Praan has taken the government, businesses, storytellers, and the best team along this journey to solve this problem together. Activism doesn't solve problems. The action does," the entrepreneur wrote on Medium.

Follow Angad Daryani on Linkedin and Twitter

Reading Time: 5 min

Electroshoe to the rescue: How innovator Siddharth Mandala’s device keeps women safe

(April 23, 2022) He was 12 when the infamous Nirbhaya rape case shook the nation in 2012. People took to the streets asking for justice, and his mom was one among them. Curious about the protests and confused about the word rape, Siddharth Mandala joined his mom for one of the protests. “A 40-year-old woman came up to me, and told me not to be like rapists. I didn’t even know what rape meant back then. This was a catalyst for me. I ended up surfing the internet, asking my friends and teachers to get a grasp on this concept called rape. Understanding the gravity of the issue, I decided to do everything in my capacity to prevent sexual assault,” Siddharth tells Global Indian. This awareness led to the birth of Electroshoe, a small badge that can be clipped onto any footwear, or worn as a ring or pendant and can be easily activated during any threatening situation by pressing. “It pulls out two sharp pointers, mimicking stun gun’s mechanism, and pierces through clothing, and even skin to electrocute the attacker,” explains Siddharth who took two years to build a working prototype; and another three years to create a market-friendly

gh clothing, and even skin to electrocute the attacker,” explains Siddharth who took two years to build a working prototype; and another three years to create a market-friendly product by interviewing over 500 women across India and California.

[caption id="attachment_15377" align="aligncenter" width="478"] Siddharth Mandala[/caption]

The Hyderabad born and raised reveals Electroshoe activates an alarm sound to alert nearby police stations and sends location to family members. “It can even sense angst in a conversation, and can raise alarm,” adds the entrepreneur. With a built-in solar plate, it recharges itself when exposed to sunlight. “The idea was that it should be something that women can carry with them easily all the time,” adds the 21-year-old.

An incident caused a shift

Born in 2000 to a businessman father and a criminal lawyer mother (now a homemaker), Siddharth loved to build things as a kid. And he found time to pursue his interest in his growing years. But the Nirbhaya rape case pushed him to put his innovative side to better use, and that’s how Electroshoe came into existence. But it was an uphill climb with many obstacles in the path. He taught himself programming and coding with the help of mentors from Linkedin and social media. While his prototype failed 17 times, he also faced electrocution twice. But Siddharth never gave up.

But things started to shift when he moved to the US to pursue further studies. “I grew up reading about startups in the Silicon Valley and wanted to be a part of that environment. But I realised it was more about finance and investment,” reveals Siddharth. Around the same time, he met Zach Latta, founder of the hack club, who told him that San Francisco was the place to be for his startup. “I dropped out of my college in California and lived homeless to fundraise for Electroshoe. My parents sold their house in India to send me to college in America. Hence, I didn’t tell them. I used to go to meetups and pitches for free food, where I tried to convince as many people as possible to help me out," reveals the young innovator who didn’t find much support from investors.

[caption id="attachment_15372" align="aligncenter" width="847"] Electroshoe[/caption]

An uphill task

But that didn't deter Siddharth who tried making “shoe attachments from greeting card sound chips that make a sound when you step on them” and tried to sell them in San Francisco. But he didn't know where he could meet women. “I tried standing outside Starbucks and selling them to women. That did not work. I realised that only two types of people will listen to me: My parents, friends, and people who are interested in me. So I went on dating apps. I’d go on dates and somewhere in the conversation would show the product and sell it to them. This is where we found the first 50 users,” reveals Siddharth who returned to India and worked on his product.

Siddharth, who is pursuing a degree in international relations and computer science from Claremont Mckenna College, spent six years turning a prototype into a product “that has gone through almost 30 iterations.” It is no secret that electric shock can often cause internal damage, even leading to cardiac arrest or trauma. However, Siddharth reveals, “We spent years creating the exact amount of voltage to ampere ratio that electrocutes lethally but not enough to kill a person." But he had to face a blow ahead of its launch owing to the Covid 19 pandemic. “We were very close to partnering with Telangana police but Covid first wave kicked in,” says the boy who has branched out his personal safety company to real estate and crypto.

[caption id="attachment_15376" align="aligncenter" width="631"] Siddharth Mandala working on Electroshoe[/caption]

Innovator-turned-activist

Apart from being an innovator and entrepreneur, Siddharth is also an activist who started a nonprofit Cognizance Welfare initiative with his friend Abhishek to spread awareness about rape. “Together we filled over 50 potholes in Hyderabad, we made underprivileged children build inexpensive GPS trackers to track their younger siblings and prevent human trafficking, we even helped a California-based non-profit adopt a village called Kanigiri in Andhra Pradesh and helped them build libraries and infrastructure,” beams Siddharth with pride, adding, “We even built an education class module and spent three months travelling to different cities educating young children about sexual assault and how to detect it very early.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMck9K6D15o

Siddharth, who has come a long way, advices youngsters to “get started and build something already. Even if it’s broken, miscalculated, and consumes most of your time, do not worry. These things usually take time, however, the key is to put something out and let the world see it and show you the path.”

An innovator at heart, he has designed a hardware wallet and a mobile app that can protect people, and their funds safe in the crypto space. "When I was in California, people in the NFT and crypto space were being kidnapped and beaten to share their private crypto keys. Once shared, even police can't trace down the funds. So the wallet acts like additional security feature," concludes Siddharth who loves working out in his free time.

Follow Siddharth Mandala on Linkedin

Reading Time: 5 min

Angelina Arora: The Indian-Australian teen finds a solution to single-use plastic

(June 28, 2024) A routine trip to a local grocery store made the then 11-year-old Angelina Arora committed to finding a better solution to single-use plastic. Seeing a huge number of plastic bags being carried out of the store made her understand their detrimental impact on the environment and led the Adelaide-based innovator on a quest to save Earth by finding biodegradable alternatives. Having mulled over the possible solution for years, in Class 9 as a science project, she began experimenting with corn starch and potato starch to create a biodegradable bag, however, they dissolved in water. She then tried banana peels and other waste products, however, nothing proved successful. Her eureka moment came while sitting at a local fish and chips shop and staring at a pile of fish waste - including crab shells, prawn tails and fish heads. She packed a few kilos of the discarded shells and headed straight to her Sydney Girls High School science lab to start experimenting. Noticing similarities between prawn shells and plastic, she knew she could have found the answer. "I looked at prawns and thought what makes their shells look like plastic? Maybe I can take that out and use it

[caption id="attachment_19737" align="aligncenter" width="612"] Angelina Arora during an experiment[/caption]

Making biodegradable plastic

A budding scientist, Angelina extracted chitin, a carbohydrate from prawn shells, and converted it into chitosan which she later mixed with fibron, a protein found in silkworms. "It's the same protein that spiders use to make webs. It's very sticky. When you mix it with chitin it produces a fabric that is flexible and strong and exhibits all the properties you want in plastic," she added. The biodegradable plastic decomposes 1.5 million times faster than commercial plastics and completely breaks down within 33 days of its exposure to bacteria. Her success attracted the attention of scholars and scientists across Australia and even won her the NSW Young Scientist Award in 2016, the Innovator to Market Award in the 2018 and BHP Billiton Foundation Science and Engineering Awards. Moreover, she received the fourth grand award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, where the innovator competed against 1800 students from over 81 countries.

[caption id="attachment_19738" align="aligncenter" width="572"] Angelina Arora with her biodegradable plastic[/caption]

According to a new OECD report, only 9 percent of plastic waste is recycled globally while 22 percent is mismanaged. Though bans and taxes on single-use plastic exist in over 120 countries, not enough is being done to reduce pollution. And Angelina thinks that biodegradable plastic - which is low-cost, durable, and insoluble - is the need of the hour. She is keen to see every plastic in the world be made out of her biodegradable plastic. "While decomposing, this eco-friendly plastic made of prawn shells releases nitrogen which is very important for plant growth and immunity. Thus, it could be used for agriculture as well, and not just for packaging," she said.

Contributing to the environment

The Flinders University student, who was the nominee for Young Australian of the Year in 2019, is hopeful that biodegradable alternatives like hers will contribute to cleaning up the environment, especially the ocean - a cause close to her heart.

Having started early, she believes the key lies in growing one's own interests. "Doing your own research outside of school gives you the freedom to do what you really like and be creative, not for a grade. You grow interests, expand awareness and increase your curiosity," she said, adding, "Plus it gives young people something productive to do for humanity rather than watching Netflix."

Angelina's invention shows how we can use scientific creativity and care for the environment to solve big problems. Her work highlights the need for sustainable practices and opens doors for future green technologies, inspiring more people to develop eco-friendly innovations.

Follow Angelina Arora on Linkedin

Reading Time: 3 min