At dusk in Guntur one night, a 12-year-old boy watched his grandmother wander into the kitchen to make tea. In her confusion, she left the gas stove burning.
He froze, asking himself: What if I weren’t here? That moment became the spark that would carry him through years of self-taught study, dozens of prototypes, awards—and a mission to transform how we care for people living with Alzheimer’s.
This is the story of Hemesh Chadalavada, a young inventor from India who channeled grief, love, and relentless curiosity into a device that could reshape dementia care.
A Summer, A Question, A Resolve
In 2018, Hemesh spent a summer with his grandmother, Jayasree, then aged 63. The two watched movies, shared stories, and savored biryani. But Hemesh also witnessed her struggle: her Alzheimer’s diagnosis was new, and already changing her world. One day, she rose in her nightdress and walked into the kitchen to make tea. Hours later, Hemesh found the gas left on.
“She had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s but I was still in shock. What would have happened if I hadn’t been there?” he later told The Guardian.
That night, a knot of fear, responsibility, and love settled in Hemesh’s chest. He resolved to build something that would protect people living with dementia—even when their loved ones weren’t watching.
Over the coming years, he devoured robotics tutorials on YouTube, sketched ideas, tinkered late into the night, and learned everything he could about electronics, sensors, and patient behavior.
From Idea To Device: Alpha Monitor
By his mid teens, Hemesh had created a device he named the Alpha Monitor. Lightweight, compact, and wearable (either as a badge or an armband), the monitor senses motion changes, falls, or wandering. If the wearer begins to stray or experiences a fall, it sends an alert to caregivers.
One of its key advantages over existing systems is its use of LoRa (long-range) communications, rather than Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. This means it can detect the wearer even if they move more than a mile away in cities—or up to three miles in rural areas—ensuring continuity where conventional devices fail.
Beyond location and movement, the Alpha Monitor also tracks vital signs such as pulse and temperature, and provides medication reminders. Hemesh is now working on integrating machine-learning algorithms to predict movement patterns and anticipate risk before it occurs.
Before finalizing his design, he visited day centers run by the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) to understand real patients’ needs. Staff there cautioned against devices that are bulky or watch-shaped, since many dementia patients instinctively remove unfamiliar objects from wrists.
The journey involved building 20 prototypes, testing, failing, iterating—and always returning to the human at the center of it all.
Recognition, Urgency, And Personal Loss
In 2022, Hemesh’s submission to Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow contest beat 18,000 other entries to earn him a grant of 10 million rupees (approximately £100,000). He also received mentorship from top engineers at Samsung, accelerating his prototyping and development.
His invention drew attention from even the country’s leadership. India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, publicly remarked that he “really admired” Hemesh’s achievement.
Yet while momentum built, a shadow loomed. Jayasree, his inspiration and guiding light, passed away in 2023 from Alzheimer’s-related complications. Hemesh has spoken openly about how the loss deepened his resolve. “This is not just a project,” he said, “it’s a promise I made to my grandmother.”
A Vision For Global Impact
Today, the Alpha Monitor is entering advanced trials in dementia care centers across India. Hemesh is refining its design for affordability—targeting a price point that families can realistically manage. He also plans to open-source parts of the technology to enable hospitals, researchers, and nonprofits to adapt it globally.
International Alzheimer’s organizations have already taken notice. The device’s low-energy consumption and independent connectivity make it particularly suitable for low-infrastructure regions.
In a country where nearly 9 million people are projected to live with Alzheimer’s by 2050, innovation like Hemesh’s could become a lifeline. His invention represents a bridge between generations—between youthful ingenuity and elder wisdom, between technology and compassion.
The Heart Behind The Innovation
What sets Hemesh apart isn’t just his technical skill—it’s the emotional foundation of his work. Every feature of the Alpha Monitor carries a memory of his grandmother: her laughter, her absent-minded hum, the way she once looked lost in her own kitchen.
He often tells young inventors that empathy, not code, is the real engine of innovation. “If you build for someone you love,” he says, “you’ll always build something that matters.”
That philosophy has inspired classrooms, hackathons, and mental-health initiatives across India, where Hemesh now mentors younger students interested in healthcare technology.
Hope Beyond The Prototype
The Alpha Monitor stands as more than a gadget—it’s a testament to what can happen when innovation is powered by love. As it moves closer to commercial rollout, families across India and beyond may soon have a new ally in their fight against dementia’s quiet erosion.
For now, Hemesh continues refining, learning, and sharing. “Every alert the Alpha Monitor sends,” he says softly, “feels like a way of keeping her safe.”
In a world often dominated by stories of loss, his journey reminds us that compassion can still shape the future of care—and that one teenager’s promise can ripple out to touch millions.
Sources:
Good News Network
The Guardian
