Meet the Undergraduates Who Won Big Bang!
Their business idea for a device that predicts epileptic seizures could prevent injuries and reduce health care costs.
This year, a team of UC Davis undergraduates took home the first prize in the annual Big Bang! Business Competition. The EpiSense team won the $25,000 award with their pitch for a wearable device that could significantly improve quality of life for patients with epilepsy.
The team is co-founded by Jaya Athuluru, a third-year neurological cognitive science major, and Simran Lallian, a second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major. Their business idea features a wearable electroencephalogram, or EEG, paired with a mobile app that could give patients advance warning of an impending seizure — enough time for them to move to safety and prevent many common seizure-related injuries such as head trauma, choking and broken bones.