By Maiysha Kai/Originally published by thegrio
A New Orleans teen is aiming to change health outcomes with a potentially lifesaving invention. As reported by People, 15-year-old Naya Ellis, one of the magazine’s “Girls Changing the World in 2024” honorees, designed the WingItt smartwatch to help detect the earliest signs of a stroke.
“We had to create a real-life solution to a real-life problem,” Ellis told the outlet.
The problem is personal for the high school sophomore, whose grandmother had a stroke prior to her birth, and has lived with resulting disabilities ever since. According to the teen, when her grandmother’s health crisis occurred, the symptoms weren’t immediately identified.
“I see how she lives every day, having [had] a stroke,” said Ellis. “It caused her to become disabled. Knowing you could catch that before that happens, it could change someone else’s life.”
While participating in the STEM NOLA Fellows program, Ellis designed WingItt, a patent-pending smartwatch with sensors to “detect signs of a stroke — heart rate, oxygen levels, emotions and changes in speech patterns — and contact family members and emergency medical personnel if risk factors are detected,” reports People.
“That way, if you are going into a stroke, before you know, they’ll know,” Ellis explained to the magazine. “It’s going to also alert your emergency services, so they can be on the way to you so you can get the help you need.”
The device, which is still in development, is also intended to reach as many people in need as possible. Ellis aims to make WingItt affordable and user-friendly, especially for seniors who may be less tech-savvy.
“I’m making [WingItt] to help lower-income people,” she said. “It won’t be for everybody. But the people it can help? That’s what matters.”
At 15, Ellis is already pioneering new technology and was rightfully selected as one of the 2024 winners of the National STEM Challenge. Also the daughter of a breast cancer patient, she ultimately hopes to make a lasting impact as a physician.
“I feel like if I could help other women, that’s changing the world,” she told People. “I want to change the world by uplifting other women and saving lives.”
“I’m changing the world and I’m not even that old yet,” she added. “[I’m proving] you’re capable of anything at [any] age.”
