Sixteen Years OId and Solving World Problems: Oakton High School Juniors Tackle Oral Cancer Challenge
They bonded as members of the robotics team at Oakton High School, now four friends are taking on a challenge that they hope will save lives.
Juniors Aniketh Bandlamudi, Lauren Kim, Vishal Manikanden, and Malek Swilam have dedicated months to developing an app that may help spot signs of oral cancer. This type of cancer is often only discovered in advanced stages when the chances of survival are diminished.
According to their website, “OCRadar is an innovative solution designed to revolutionize the detection of oral cancer. Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, OCRadar offers a sophisticated tool for both medical professionals and the general public, facilitating early detection and improving the chances of successful treatment.”
The students, all 16 years old, are now seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and the Apple Store for the application to be marketed as a wellness tool. They hope that the invention will eventually be accessible to billions globally and revolutionize cancer detection. Their work illustrates Goal 5 of the FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation.
“We’ve already received some really positive feedback, which has been very uplifting,” said Aniketh. “To think we could make a real difference in people’s lives is exciting. I look forward to the day that we hear back from people who benefited from our work.”
Inspired by a research assignment while a student at Rachel Carson Middle School, Aniketh learned that oral cancers, which include cancers of the tongue, lips, and gums, hit third-world countries especially hard often due to a lack of accessible and affordable screening.
So when an idea came to mind for an app that could instantly detect signs of the disease, Aniketh set out to make the concept a reality.
It wasn’t long before he realized that solving a global health problem requires a village, and that's when he turned to his friends (and teachers) for help.
“I had this idea to make a product with no barrier to entry that could be globally accessible,” he said. “I knew that I had a good idea but after a while, it was also pretty clear that I needed help to make it happen. I couldn’t do this alone.”
“Lauren, Vishal, and Malek all have their areas of expertise and when I told them about it, they were all interested in helping.”
All four pooled their skills in business development, programming, and developing a model that recognizes signs of disease by using artificial intelligence and a library of thousands of images of healthy and diseased mouths.
To help users capture accurate, well-lit images, they collaborated with Oakton Technology and Engineering teacher Douglas Kaltenbaugh to design and 3D-print a prototype phone attachment (pictured above). They also thank teachers Harnam Arneja, Eugene Farrell, and Edmund Lau for their support and guidance throughout the project’s development.
When the foursome are not competing in robotics championships, they are working through the significant steps both the Apple Store and the FDA require to bring the app to the public which they hope could happen by this summer.
They are also reaching out to medical professionals to collaborate on research and testing of the app as they seek Class 1 or Class 2 FDA approval.
Oakton principal, Jamie Lane, paid tribute to her entrepreneurial students. ”I am in awe of the dedication and passion that Aniketh, Lauren, Vishal, and Malek have displayed to make an impact on our community and the world. We are so proud of what they have accomplished so far and all that is still yet to come.”
