(Left to right: Julia Savova, Audrey Paolino, Veda Manikonda, Dhrumi Shah, Pranali Vora, and Ananya Pathak)
Brown Scholars Julia Savova, Audrey Paolino, Veda Manikonda, Dhrumi Shah, Pranali Vora, and Ananya Pathak earned 1st place out of 14 teams at MedXPlore with Respira, a non-invasive diaphragm-stimulation device designed to accelerate ventilator weaning. They continued their success by also winning the Good Bull Pitch Competition, while competing against four teams, and the Ideas Challenge—making Respira a triple-award-winning innovation.
Respira monitors diaphragm activity and phrenic nerve signals, usingexternal stimulation to help restore diaphragm function. Research showsthis approach can improve muscle strength and speed up patients’ returnto independent breathing.
With multiple competition wins, the team has positioned Respira as a promising advancement in respiratory care. Funding from these competitions will support continued prototyping and development, further advancing its potential impact.
