This device can save people’s lives during emergencies  

Health is paramount. According to a survey, most people in India do not know how to provide basic aid to people faced with medical emergencies. Due to this lack of knowledge and immediate care, thousands of people lose their lives every year. 

Turning this challenge into an opportunity to help people, two class 10 students of Apeejay School, Kharghar in Navi Mumbai have created a pocket-friendly device that assists individuals to provide first-aid and preliminary medical care to patients. The device comes with a guide for users to perform the right actions at the right time. Nikunj Choubey and Siddharth Tiwary have successfully completed its prototype. Their idea was recently presented at the 29th National Children’s Science Congress 2021 themed, ‘Science for Sustainable Living’. The programme is an initiative by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, where the two student achievers got selected for the National level. In an interview, the duo talk about their project, inspiration and aspiration. Edited excerpts:

How did you come up with the idea for the device?

Nikunj: Let’s say there has been an accident. We often see people gathering around the patient, waiting for medical care. This waiting period is a crucial time for a patient and if they are provided with some care at that time, it would increase their chances of surviving the accident. Our idea has stemmed from there, as we thought that we should do something about it.    

How much time did it take for you to create such a device?

Siddharth: We started the project in October 2021 and gradually progressed with it. We commenced by conducting a survey to judge the awareness of people regarding emergency preparedness. At the end of the survey, we were stunned to know that more than 90% of the responses we received proved our hypothesis. We then researched, created a log book and sought guidance from our school teacher Mrs. Sunitha Mohan. To make the device, we took help from an electrical engineer from IIT Madras, Mr. Anand Anthony, who is our school alumnus. With these combined efforts, we were able to come up with the basic prototype. The device is still in the Gamma stage and we would soon be adding more features to it.

Given the Covid-19 imposed lockdown in Maharashtra, did you both work on the project remotely?   

Nikunj: Yes, the major part of the project was done remotely such as ideating, conceptualising, etc. We came to our school to take a session from our teacher and before our project presentation for the National Children’s Science Congress, we met to get our files ready.

Please tell us how the device works.

Nikunj: It is very simple. Once you switch on the device, it will guide you to calculate the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of a person. This score is used to monitor the patient’s level of consciousness. Once we know that, accordingly, the device will provide a first-aid and emergency guide where one can select multiple conditions and know how to care for them. We have consulted medical practitioners before putting out the information in the device, and these simple steps can stabilise the condition of a patient till medical help arrives. The device would also be equipped to notify the nearby hospital about the patient.

What were the challenges you faced in the making of the device?

Siddharth: We are in class 10 and the year itself is heavy on academics. We have many Olympiads, competitions, NTSE and Board examinations and we found ourselves very occupied. Creating this device became a balancing act with all of this and it took a lot of focus and effort. We are grateful to our mentors at school and Principal Ma’am, Ms. Tejaswini Katdare who encouraged us to keep going.  

If your prototype becomes an actual product in the market, would it be affordable?

Nikunj: Yes, weare working towards finishing the model further. If I were to give an estimate, the final product could cost Rs. 1000 in the market. This is a rough figure as the cost can effectively come down depending upon the raw materials used in the final product.

Your idea is brilliant! Would you be keen to pitch the device to science institutes or laboratories?

Nikunj: Yes, absolutely.

What is your future aspiration?

Siddharth: I would like to explore the field of biotechnology after class 12. 

Nikunj: I want to research mechatronics in my career path.

Your advice to fellow student scientists and science enthusiasts?

Siddharth: Engage in critical thinking and observe your surroundings closely. If you have an idea, start working on it. Stay up-to-date with the newest technologies and make reading a habit.  

Nikunj: For those wanting to create something, I would say they should create a log book and research extensively. Every piece of information is important and every article on your chosen subject can be useful. Once your model is ready, have all the data to convince people about its efficiency. Don’t shy away from taking help, value people’s feedback and incorporate it.