So an 8th Grader Built His Own Medical Device…

When Aaryan Balani walked into the 71st Orange County Science & Engineering Fair, he didn’t just bring a project. He brought a solution to a problem he knows personally.

An eighth grader, Aaryan had grown frustrated with a condition — intermittent crossed eyes — that affects millions worldwide but has few practical, affordable treatment options. Existing devices can cost as much as $30,000, and even then, they’re often bulky, passive, or impractical for everyday life.

So he decided to build something better.

The result is EYEVA (Eye Visual Alignment Device), a wearable headband equipped with infrared cameras and powered by a compact computer. Using a custom-trained AI model, the device tracks eye movement in real time and alerts the user when it detects drift, giving them the chance to self-correct instantly.

This wasn’t a quick build. Over the course of a year, Aaryan developed multiple hardware prototypes, tested different software approaches, and even conducted a 30-day self-study, logging more than 140 eye-drift events.

And he did it all for $345.

At the science fair, his work earned:

• The top award in Biomedical Engineering (Junior Division)
• A Young Investigator award from a global medical organization
• A nomination to a national innovation competition

But the real achievement goes beyond awards.

Conditions like intermittent strabismus affect an estimated 100 million people worldwide—and until now, there hasn’t been a portable, real-time device designed for everyday use at home.

Aaryan’s goal wasn’t recognition. It was impact.

“I wanted to build something that could actually help people like me,” he said. “Something affordable that works in the real world, not just in a lab.”

The Bright Side:
Sometimes the most meaningful innovations don’t start in labs or boardrooms—they start with someone deciding a problem is worth solving, and refusing to wait for someone else to do it.

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