Saving lives, one invention at a time4 min read
Reading Time: 3 minutesTrailblazers
Who is Samyak?
Samyak Shrimali is a 16-year-old innovator who lives in Oregon, USA. Samyak is already two award-winning innovations down, and his third one is here to save more lives. He was recently awarded the 3M Young Scientist award.
How did it all begin?
I remember that I first got interested in science in the second grade when my parents took me to the library. I would always spend my time in the science section, reading science fiction and encyclopedias. But the real spark for innovation came in the 5th grade when I was given lego mindstorm kit. As I used it to make and code robots, I became increasingly fond of science.
“I’ve always been inventing in the past”
Samyak Shrimali
What does his invention do?
The WHO reports that 1.7 million people suffer from hospital-acquired infections just in the United States, and they account for about 90,000 deaths each year! Infections and the spread of viruses can be reduced if proper hand hygiene guidance is followed. Today there is no real system other than poster advisories in hospitals to ensure that WHO guidelines on hand hygiene are followed by the hospital staff. So, I designed a real time software program named Sanjeevni which is capable of providing alerts to staff if hand hygiene compliance is not followed.
Sanjeevni has four modules – the wristband module, the hand wash module, the alcohol rub module, and the patient bed module. So far, I have demonstrated this project in several hospitals and have found that the system is 94% effective!
“Sanjeevni is a mythical herb that can cure any disease and save anyone’s life, and since my project is meant to save the lives of millions of people suffering from hospital acquired infections, I chose this name”
Samyak Shrimali
What keeps him going?
My ultimate goal is to solve problems with my inventions. I would like to see Sanjeevni preventing illness in hospitals and actually see my innovation make a difference.
What comes next?
I would like to continue to improve Sanjeevni and get her ready for practical application. I am also developing a covid app and am trying to get that market-ready as soon as possible.
What does he do to unwind?
I love participating in quizzes and competitions and am also interested in sports such as basketball and swimming.
“Fridays are my days where I just spend time with family and friends. Maybe play some video games with friends, and go out for walks with family”
Samyak Shrimali
Samyak’s message to other young innovators
When pursuing any innovation, you should be prepared for challenges and shouldn’t give up after an initial failure. I think failure is just part of the process of any innovation. Stay positive, learn from your mistakes, and keep working hard to achieve your goals.
A general request to everyone would be to keep washing your hands and sanitising your hands frequently… clean hands save lives, lets all of us make hand hygiene a priority in life.
Samyak Shrimali
Samyak’s work proves that age is no barrier for those who want to make the world a better place. We, at Owliver’s Post, can’t wait to witness Samyak’s next invention.
Listen to Samyak as he talks about Sanjeevni in detail:
(Trailblazers is a weekly column that celebrates youngsters who are inventors and experts in their fields)
