Aida Solutions

Aida Solutions is dedicated to developing assistive technologies that improve the quality of life of people living with disabilities and physical limitations related to aging. Our first product is “The Antionette,” an assistive eating device that revolutionizes conventional dining by utilizing a novel utensil controlled by the chin. This technology can be used by those who have limited to no upper body or torso mobility. A successful adoption of our technology would empower people with physical limitations by giving them the dignity of independence and reduce the burden on their caregivers. Users of the Antionette can enjoy their meals autonomously in a social environment, which improves their self confidence and overall quality of life.

Kristin Spera, Whiting School of Engineering, Graduate
Allison Tse,Whiting School of Engineering, Graduate

 

BrushTree

BrushTree is an online platform designed to help artists support charitable causes through their art while gaining exposure and sales more efficiently than traditional methods. BrushTree allows artists to: upload their art, set a price, select a charity, and set a percentage of the price that will be donated. Art lovers and “cause buyers” can discover new art and potentially build a whole collection from the comfort of their own homes. Buyers will also receive a tax deduction from each purchase. Charities can take an active role by promoting BrushTree or remain passive and receive profits once sales are made. Artists will be able to use their paint brushes to help charitable organizations grow and develop. BrushTree is the first and only service that helps broker art sales with a charitable donation.

Ryan Lees, Carey Business School, Graduate
Edward Meekins, Carey Business School, Graduate

Johnny Dough Cookies & More

After experiencing a lack of late night eating options on the Homewood campus, we formed Johnny Dough Cookies + More in the Fall of 2013. We service Hopkins students by providing cookie deliveries on and around the Homewood campus. After opening up our business in November, we decided to leverage the support of our cookie company in order to address a more pressing issue affecting Baltimore City – the prevalence of food deserts, or rather locations with poor access to fresh foods and grocery stores. In addition to funding this initiative, Johnny Dough Cookies acts as a social platform, where we use our knowledge of baking to create an after school program to educate children on human nutrition. We will implement our inaugural after-school program on human nutrition at local Margaret Brent Elementary School on March 7th. Our current goal is to create systemic change and spread knowledge about food deserts, in particular their association with diabetes, heart disease and other debilitating diseases. In order to accomplish this goal, we have introduced a social initiative that aims to end the cycle of poor nutrition in underserved communities. This social initiative in Baltimore City, funded through the efforts of college entrepreneurship, can expand our efforts to other college campuses in underserved areas to mobilize other students to combat poor child nutrition. Through the help of outside funding from sources such as the Johns Hopkins Business Plan Competition, we can fully realize this goal.

James Lin, Whiting School of Engineering, Undergraduate
Christina Socias, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Undergraduate
 

Kidnere

Kidenere is dedicated to alleviating the mental burden associated with dialysis by utilizing treatment time to help patients pursue an interest or skill they have always wanted to develop as well as create supportive, active learning environment across dialysis centers to promote positive mental health.

Maha Almalki, Carey Business School, Graduate
Stephanie Huie, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Undergraduate
Katrina Rios, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Undergraduate
Jonathan Rivera, Whiting School of Engineering, Undergraduate
Dorry L. Segev

 

School Finder

A website to help prospective Chinese students find their best school

Chi Hong Ho, Whiting School of Engineering, Graduate
Sunyan Lee, Whiting School of Engineering, Undergraduate

 

The HEARS Project

The HEARS Project is a social enterprise working to serve older adults with age-related hearing loss. Hearing loss affects nearly two-thirds of adults 70 years and older, a prevalence that increases with age. Currently, over 26 million older Americans have hearing loss and almost 23 million go untreated. Without coverage by Medicare nationally or Medicaid in many states, including Maryland, hearing care is inaccessible to many older adults. Combining education, counseling, and low-cost amplification devices, the HEARS Project is the first of its kind to deliver affordable and accessible hearing care to older adults in a community setting. The HEARS program is evidence-based and delivered one-on-one by trained community health workers. The amplification devices utilized in the program have already been tested, verified and optimized for consumers. Although amplification is a component of hearing care, it cannot be delivered without counseling and education. The HEARS Project combines necessary communication counseling and education along with options for amplification that transcend barriers of cost, mobility, and health literacy to deliver hearing care. An income-based sliding scale fee covers the cost of the devices and community health workers. The HEARS Project provides an innovative distribution channel to delivering hearing care, including those who have never before had access to care, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the lives of older adults.

Carrie Nieman, School of Medicine, Resident and Post-doctoral Fellow
Kunal Parikh, Whiting School of Engineering, Graduate
Frank Lin

 

The RightFit Prosthetics Initiative

One of the greatest challenges in the developing world is limited accessibility to adequate prosthetic devices due to the prohibitive cost and time investment necessary for fittings at specialized, and often distant, clinics. Because a patient is required to visit the prosthetic clinic multiple times to properly fit a new prosthetic, patients either end up with poorly fitting devices or none at all. We propose an affordable prosthetic device for transtibial (below the knee) amputees in developing countries who do not have ready access to necessary prosthetic-fitting facilities. It is unlike any other prosthetic in the developing world: it only requires one visit, it is remoldable when the need arises, and the fitting process is not as difficult, which reduces the margin of error for prosthetists who may have had minimal training due to their location. Also, the process makes use of inexpensive and locally-available materials, and does not require expensive tools or a prosthetic clinic, which makes a much more cost effective and affordable solution.

Nicholas Flower, Whiting School of Engineering, Undergraduate
Jason Lansdown, Whiting School of Engineering, Undergraduate
Ada Sierraalta, Whiting School of Engineering, Undergraduate

 

WaterWearables

WaterWearables is a Johns Hopkins student-founded Social Enterprise that will forever change how women and children carry water in the developing world. Through human-centered design, WaterWearables develops innovative solutions to carry, store, and filter water in developing countries. Unlike mass-manufactured innovations, by utilizing repurposed indigenous materials that rural populations in developing countries already have abundant access to, the business model provides sustainable economic opportunities, empowers women, and positively impacts local communities.

Elizabeth Galbut, Carey Business School, Graduate
Alina Hamden, Carey Business School, Graduate
Sneha Kanneganti, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Graduate
Amanda Leahy, Carey Business School, Graduate
Max Lohmann, School of Advanced Internation Studies, Graduate
Kyle Bodt
Phil Meredith