Question: What year are you in school?
Answer: I’m a second/final year Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering on the thesis track, working under the guidance of Dr. Andrew Yang, Dr. Bradley Greger, and Dr. Christopher Buneo.
Q: Can you tell us what it felt like when you heard your name announced as the winner?
A: It felt gratifying as all our brainstorming and hard work finally paid off.
Q: What was the driving force behind your decision to participate in the College of Health Solution’s Pitch Fest?
A: With rising temperatures globally, especially in Arizona, dehydration has become a life-threatening issue, inspiring me to tackle hydration management for public safety. “Global average surface temperature is expected to increase between 1.1-5.1°C by 2100. -Herring, 2023”
Q: Can you walk us through the concept you pitched and what inspired this idea?
A: We pitched a smart water bottle integrated with a smartwatch and app, monitoring fluid intake and body parameters to provide real-time hydration feedback inspired by alarming heat-related fatalities.
Q: How did you prepare for Pitch Fest, and what were some of the biggest challenges you faced in perfecting your presentation?
A: Sensor & analysis identification and integration required coordinating between multiple fields—biomedical engineering, AI, and computer science—was a challenge. Still, regular meetings and clear communication helped us refine the system consolidation. A huge shoutout to my entire team – Shovito Barua Soumma, Asiful Arefeen, Chau (Reina) Nguyen, Jiaqian (Amber) Lee and our amazing mentors – Dr. Hassan Ghasemzadeh and Dr. Stavros Kavouras.
Q: What impact do you hope this project will have on the healthcare community, both short-term and long-term?
A: We aim to reduce mortalities among vulnerable chronic diseased populations and eventually expand globally, factoring in local climates like Arizona’s dry heat and other regions’ humidity. (Relative Humidity is a detrimental factor for optimal body hydration.)
Q: What was the main problem you aimed to solve with your pitch, and how do you plan to address it?
A: We sought to create a comprehensive hydration management system to raise awareness of dehydration and overhydration risks. “Can a machine learning approach address the needs of people in various situations, whether they’re working outside, or playing sports? How can we leverage different data types – like what people drink, how much they sweat, and the weather – to provide better advice on hydration?”
Q: How do you see your solution making a difference in healthcare or patient outcomes?
A: By offering real-time hydration advice, our solution supports high-risk groups and the general population in maintaining optimal hydration for overall well-being. “75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated and mild levels of dehydration can produce disruptions in mood and cognitive functioning.-Barry, 2010”
Q: What have you learned about yourself through this experience?
A: I realized the immense value of learning opportunities everywhere at every moment, from peers and competitors. I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the intricacies of research, including project design, regulatory requirements, and the collaborative process. As for me, I evaluate myself on my leadership skills, time management, teamwork, and public speaking.