Seasonal Stories

The next wave of innovation isn’t coming — it’s already here, and it’s being led by new minds. Take a look at various profiles of teen developers who are making groundbreaking innovations in the modern world!

(please note that ages may now be different, as they were recorded based on when these individuals developed their creations)

Siddarth Nandyala (Age 14)

Since his early childhood years, Nandyala has been pursuing his interests in technology, coding, and engineering. In 2022, he designed a functional prosthetic arm that costs surprisingly a low $150, as opposed to the typical pricy $30,000, as well as an armband that detects falls for elderly individuals with over 96% accuracy, which is higher than the Apple Watch. Nandyala’s most notable creation is Circadian AI, a smartphone app that detects early-stage heart disease within seconds. The rising freshman at the University of Texas in Dallas says, “The main focus and goal for me out of this was to essentially create a tool that is able to help a large amount of people just through non-invasive screening procedures. Every one life detected is one life saved.” Users must simply place the smartphone near their heart, where the app records the sound of the heartbeat, goes through various amplification algorithms, and sends it to the LLM (Large Language Model), which then writes an overall rundown of the user’s heart health, detecting any abnormalities.

Leeann Fan (Age 14)

Fan, a student residing in San Diego, won the top prize at the 3M Young Scientist Challenge with Finsen (named after Niels Finsen, a respected scientist who used UV rays to cure skin disorders) headphones, a device that not only allows users to immerse themselves in music but also incorporates blue light to reduce bacteria and prevent ear infections. The device also includes a USB camera to constantly analyze the wearer’s eardrums, ensuring that nothing unusual is occurring. The Finsen headphones use machine learning from Google’s Teachable Machine software, and Fan used 700 images of normal and infected eardrums to train the device and diagnose conditions. After nearly 200 tests, the fourteen-year-old discovered that blue light exposure for 45 minutes could reduce bacteria within the ear. 

Neil Deshmukh (Age 16)

Deshmukh is a highly accomplished social entrepreneur dedicating his efforts to tackling issues that affect the world’s most disadvantaged communities. He is currently a graduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the founder and CEO of Plantum AI, and co-founder and CTO of Solar. 

As a solution to reduce the use of pesticides and the occurrence of crop disease, Deshmukh developed Plantum AI for farmers in areas lacking various resources. When the user initiates the app, the AI instantly runs a diagnosis on a certain crop and then provides an overview of treatment options. What’s more, if one’s farm is in a remote area and lacks reception, they can still utilize Plantum AI, making it accessible to numerous individuals. 

Cynthia Lam (Age 17)

Contaminated, unsafe water is consumed by millions of individuals who reside in remote regions without electricity and clean, drinkable fluids. To address this global issue, Cynthia Lam developed the H2Pro, a device that utilizes photocatalysis, a process that uses light to accelerate chemical reactions and purify water. The reaction results in the release of hydrogen, which Lam believes can be used to produce electricity for those in need. 

To close off the series of profiles, these extraordinary apps and medical devices remind us that they are beyond clever innovations; they are bold answers to real-world problems in our modern society.

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Sources used:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawada/meet-siddharth-nandyala-14-year-old-tech-prodigy-who-built-an-app-to-detect-heart-diseases-in-seven-seconds/articleshow/119237187.cms

https://patient-innovation.com/post/7615?language=zh-hans

https://www.neildeshmukh.com/plantumai
https://www.fastcompany.com/3034487/a-17-year-old-invented-this-smart-device-that-makes-clean-water-and-power-at-the-same-time

Neil Deshmukh uses PlantumAI to scan a diseased leaf

Leanne Fan holds the Finsen Headphones

Siddharth Nandyala showcases his prosthetic arm

1. Steps   for  diy-ing

This is a guide for choosing your halloween costumes + some methods for making the costume yourself.

1. Scroll through inspiration pictures

If you have social media, platforms like instagram and pinterest have pages of halloween costume ideas. You can also search in browsers (Google, Safari, etc.) for ideas as well. Down below are some website and costume options.

2. Purchase accessories or materials

To bring your look to life, buy creative pieces of apparel that connect with the costume your portraying. If you’re making your costume, write out a list of the materials necessary to create your vision.

3. Create the costume and try it on

To make your costume, some common building tools consist of sewing machines, glue, and face makeup. Once your look is complete, try the outfit on to ensure it’s to your liking; no one wants to try on their costume on THE DAY of Halloween to discover it doesn’t meet their expectations.