Kerala student develops allergy alert smartwatch app to combat stigma

While looking for an idea for her final year graduation project, 22-year-old Ayisha Fazalul Rahiman remembered one of her relatives who carry around a piece of paper that lists the medicines they can't have. Though this is a hassle, taking the wrong medications can even push the individual into a comma.

The Bachelor of Design graduate from the College of Architecture, Thiruvananthapuram, relied on this predicament to develop a smartwatch app named 'Allert,' that issues allergy warnings. She recently presented the app, which is at its design prototype stage, at her college's expo 'The Dot Exhibition 2024' in Thiruvananthapuram and earned much appreciation. 

"I started developing it in January," remembers Ayisha, who hails from Kasaragod. She explains, "In many countries, people with allergies wear hand bands to inform others about their condition in case of emergencies. However, at times, this leads to certain stigmas too. I feel a smartwatch app can solve the problem. It can give timely alerts when the patient needs them and provide the person's details to doctors during treatment." 

How does the app help?
If a patient with an allergy experiences a reaction or loses consciousness, the watch will emit a continuous beep and flash red and white lights. "The display will show the message 'Help, Allergic Patient,' along with a 'Tap' button. Tapping it will lead to a screen with instructions for administering allergy medication or, in severe cases, prompt a call to an ambulance," Ayisha explains. According to her, one in five people in India suffers from allergies. She also previously designed a wristband featuring a QR code for those who do not wear smartwatches.