Indian Teen’s Dementia Care Innovation
Hemesh Chadalavada, a self-proclaimed ‘nerd’ fascinated by robotics, embarked on a mission to address the challenges faced by Alzheimer’s patients, inspired by his grandmother’s struggle with the disease. Witnessing an incident where his grandmother left the gas on fueled his determination to find a solution.
In 2018, at the age of 12, Hemesh observed his grandmother’s difficulties and questioned how accidents could be avoided in his absence.
Drawing insights from a visit to an Alzheimer’s care center in India and based on their feedback, aiming for a lightweight and unobtrusive solution. That’s when Hemesh fine-tuned the Alpha Monitor, a badge-like monitoring device that sends out alerts if the person wearing it wanders off or falls.
In 2022, Hemesh clinched victory at the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow science fair, outperforming 18,000 entries and securing a $120,000 grant. This accomplishment garnered the admiration of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Despite being a high school student, Hemesh is determined about bringing the Alpha Monitor to market by September. His plans include pursuing further studies in robotics abroad.