Teen Inventors Saving Lives

These teens are thinking outside the box to create solutions to medical problems that change the world and help to save lives. These inventive young entrepreneurs have solved complex medical issues with devices they have created themselves. We take a look at some of the most exciting young inventors in the medical field.

Catherine Wong

Need a medical checkup but can’t get to the doctor? Whether you live in a remote area or just want to keep tabs on your heart, Catherine’s invention attaches to your cell phone and allows you to measure your heartbeat. Catherine’s device allows you to take a test called an electrocardiogram which can alert users to irregular heartbeats which would give them time to seek medical help.

Tony Hansberry

Tony is a student at the Carnell Cookman School of Medical Arts which is the first American school to have an integrated medical curriculum. Tony developed a new suture method which radically reduces the time it takes to perform a hysterectomy. This makes the procedure safer for patients and it reduces the recovery time and cost of the operation.

See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=q1nhkvG4DK0

Jack Andraka

Jack may be just a freshman, but his future is already looking bright. He recently won the $75,000 grand prize at this past spring’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair becoming the youngest participant to do so. Every year, 40,000 people die of pancreatic cancer as it is one of the most lethal cancers, with a five-year survival rate of 6 percent. That may be about to change with Jack’s new invention which comprises a small dipstick probe that utilizes 1/6th of a drop of blood to accurately see if the patient has cancer. The test is easy to administer and only takes five minutes to complete.

Suman Mulumudi

15-year-old Suman attends Lakeside School and has built two medical devices that would reduce healthcare costs and improve accuracy. Suman has built the Steth IO which is a device you can add onto a smartphone which turns it into a stethoscope which is far more accurate than traditional stethoscopes.

His second invention aids in the administration of angioplasties; a procedure that clears blocked arteries. Here lesion in arterial tissue have to be repaired using a stent. The hardest part of the procedure is placing the stents in the correct places. Suman’s device helps to measure the length of the lesions so that accurately sized stents can be used thus reducing the need for repeat hospital visits.

Suman’s invention uses a microprocessor from an optical computer mouse and combines it with 3D modelling and printing to create the LesionSizer which measures the length of the arterial lesions for more accurate results.

2013's Most Brilliant Teen Inventors

www.Tutoringk12.com/blog

Very often, it’s the younger generation that inspires change and scientific discovery and this year has seen a bumper crop of incredible kids changing the world. Here is a look back at some of the inspirational teens and their inventions that are sure to get your kids fired up. You can encourage innovation in your teens by creating a safe workshop or lab space. Many maker’s fairs and tool libraries offer workshops for budding inventors or buy holiday gifts that require assembly to pique interest.

Jack Andraka

After having lost an uncle to cancer, Jack Andraka was inspired to do something about this pervasive disease. He sent proposals to over 200 universities asking for help with his lab studies, but his proposal was rejected by everyone except Dr. Anirban Maitra of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, who refers to Jack as “the Edison for our times.”

What Jack managed to do was develop a quick, easy test that detects the presence of a protein in the early stages of pancreatic, ovarian and lung cancer. He is working on creating an over-the-counter test that can be administered at home and hopes that early detection will help to save lives. He is the recipient of the 2012 Gordon E. Moore Award, the grand prize of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Easton LaChappelle

“I’m hoping to give someone a functional prosthetic arm for under $1,000,” says Easton LaChappelle about the prosthetic device he created in his bedroom using a 3D printer. Easton built his very first robotic hand out of Lego, string and servo motors. Inspired by the success of this project, he taught himself modelling software and got access to a 3D printer. He created all the parts for his prosthetic arm in his bedroom.

Easton is working to improve his prosthetic arm and create a working model that is affordable and accessible to more amputees. He is also studying human anatomy to get a better idea of how the human body works. He has met President Obama who enjoyed shaking the prostatic arm at the White House Science Fair.

Boyan Slat

Hate the idea of giant garbage piles of plastic in the ocean? So does Boyan Slat! Boyan has invented a way to clean up the world’s oceans and make money at the same time. Boyan created a large vessel with boom arms which is powered by the ocean under solar and wave power. The garbage processing station will collect and recycle plastic onsite. Boyan hopes that his Ocean Cleanup will be able to process 7, 250,000 in just five years. The Ocean Cleanup is about half way through a feasibility study which shows promising initial findings.