Samsung Solve for Tomorrow launched in India in June 2022, as a national competition with a focus on four key themes: Education, Environment, Health, and Agriculture. Students from age 16 to 22 were tasked to develop not just a theoretical challenge, but implement the innovative idea into a working prototype to solve real-world problems. Under the guidance of Samsung and industry mentors, students progressed through various training modules, boot camps, and workshops to be future-ready.

This year, three students were selected for the Grand Finale of Solve for Tomorrow. The students developed a smart wristband to monitor Alzheimer’s patients, a sanitary pad for the socially disadvantaged, and a wearable device that helps reduce stress.

A smart wristband from the heart

Alzheimer’s or dementia is a mental disorder commonly known for causing memory loss, and mainly affects the elderly population. When Hemesh Chadalavada became aware that his grandmother was also affected by this disease, he was strongly motivated to create a device that could help Alzheimer’s patients.

Hemesh’s solution was a smart wristband that could monitor the health of Alzheimer’s patients including pulse and blood pressure. The caregiver and doctor could also receive automatic alerts if the patient portrayed potentially dangerous behavior. “The journey of four months has been worth it. I am grateful to Samsung for giving me this epic opportunity to build something that could only be an idea into a real prototype.”

For all women’s health

Prisha Dubey, Anupriya Nayak, and Vanlika Konwar recognized the big challenge in women’s health in India. Women from rural areas were using cloths and plastic for sanitary pads. Prisha and her team explained about their product: “We designed an eco-friendly sanitary pad from the byproduct of sugarcane. This allows the pad to be both affordable and washable.” The team expressed the urge to resolve the social stigma regarding menstruation and reach underprivileged women in rural areas with their product.

The trio shared their experience with Solve for Tomorrow, “Everyone had amazing ideas to share and they were so forthcoming yet humble! Solve for Tomorrow is an amazing platform for students like us to present our ideas.”

Using brain power to reduce stress

Stress is one of the most fatal, yet common symptoms people can experience, damaging brain cells and causing serious health risks including diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases. Shankar Srinivasan wanted to develop a technology that is chemical- and adverse-effect free, and Solve for Tomorrow is where Shankar could actualize his idea.

Shankar’s safe brain modulation wearable device transmits waves within the FDA’s limit of frequency, intensity, and pulse repetition period to mood centers of the brain. “I had the support from the best of facilities and the best access to a high-quality pool of mentors who could help bring my ideas to life. Being able to access research from India IIT Delhi was also amazing,” said Shankar. “Even after Solve for Tomorrow, I will continue to validate my project with doctors, biomedical engineers, neuroscientists, and expert clinicians to make it a complete form.”