When my grandma fractured her leg before my sophomore year, I saw the current lack of accessible biomedical devices for recovery and preventing muscular deconditioning. In response, I developed Smartbell, a dumbbell system that combines sensors, computer vision, and gamified software to provide real-time feedback and guidance during upper-body exercises.

I presented Smartbell at regional and state science fairs, earning the Sanofi Grand Prize and 1st Place Overall in the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair's Region 1. I was subsequently selected as one of 15 Massachusetts representatives to present my project at the 2025 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Columbus, Ohio.

Following ISEF, I continued developing the project under the mentorship of Dr. Patricia Wang, Research Director at Intel Corporation. I conducted volunteer testing in my local community in Shanghai, visiting over a dozen elderly people to collect quantitative performance data and survey feedback. I documented the project's design, testing, and findings in a full-length research manuscript.

Beyond the research setting, I worked to translate Smartbell into a practical system for potential real-world deployment. I collaborated with HongHe Technology to integrate my device into the company's smart physical education platform. The project has also resulted in two pending patents covering the hardware and software design and one registered software copyright.

I am currently working on transforming the computer program into a mobile app to increase accessibility and reach.

What started as a simple engineering research question turned into both a product and a lesson about designing. Through developing Smartbell, I learned that the success of new technology depends not just on technical performance. Instead, factors like accessibility, familiarity, and individual circumstances matter just as much. I hope to carry this insight into how I approach future innovation and research.


Below is the poster I presented at ISEF: