13-Year-old Wins Google Science Prize for Medical Solution

googlesciencewinnerIt’s fascinating how people’s minds work. Some people take something that is very complicated to most, and break it down in very simple terms so it’s easy to understand. And some people see a problem and figure out a way to fix it or make what currently exists better. Right now, we’re hearing about Nobel prize winners who have done something amazing in their field. There are also young people doing very interesting things to help their fellow man as well.

Google has a science fair every year, open to 13- 18 year olds. The fair has different award categories such as The National Geographic Explorer Award, The Virgin Galactic Pioneer Award, and The Lego Education Builder Award. This year Anushka Naiknaware, 13, won the Lego Education Builder Award by creating something so simple but much needed in the medical field. Find out what this Google Science Fair winner invented by reading below! 

This 13-year-old just revolutionized an age-old problem in medicine using a remarkably simple method.

Anushka Naiknaware from Beaverton, Oregon became one of the top eight finalists of an international Google-run science competition after she invented bandages that notify doctors when they needed to be changed.

 

 

Using graphene nanoparticles and ink, the bandages start to display fractal patterns when they detect that moisture levels have dropped. Bandages need to be dampened in order to properly heal wounds, but changing bandages too often can be harmful to an injury. This way, medical officials no longer have to rely on guesswork.

Since she won the Lego Education Builder award for engineering, the 7th grader from Stoller Middle School was given a $15,000 scholarship, a free vacation to the Lego World Headquarters in Denmark with her parents, and a mentorship with Lego executives for entrepreneurship.

Anushka, who became the youngest recipient of the prize, plans on getting her invention patented and approved by the Food and Drug Administration so it can be put to use in hospitals worldwide.

New Call-to-action

Recent Posts

10 Cozy Autumn Activities for Nurses
As Nurses, we’re used to caring for everyone else, patients, families, friends; often leaving ourselves at the bottom of the list. But as the air turns crisp and the leaves show off their fiery...
Read More
Frontier Nursing University Introduces Office of Student Engagement, Access, and Success
Frontier remains committed to fostering an environment that values and supports all students and honors diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. VERSAILLES, Ky. – Frontier Nursing...
Read More
The Role of Language and Culture in Patient Care
In today’s increasingly diverse healthcare landscape, language and culture are far more than communication tools, they’re fundamental components of high-quality, patient-centered care. When language...
Read More

Subscribe to Email Our Newsletter

Education_Award_Square