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Katia Avila and her classmates, of the 2017 and 2018 Garey High School Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam, invented a wearable device called Heart & Sole. The device uses sensors to gauge the progression of neuropathy and key disease indicators by measuring blood flow and oxygen content in a foot for diabetics. Katia, who had little knowledge of engineering prior to this experience, led the production of the oxygen saturation sensor for the InventTeam project. She credits her experience with inventing as a turning point in her career path.
The team filed a nonprovisional application for patent in 2018 and received pro bono support to file their patent application through the Microsoft #MakeWhatsNext Patent Program. The Garey team was awarded U.S. Patent 11,382,564 on July 12, 2022.
Katia works at Microsoft as an Explorer Intern while pursuing a computer engineering degree at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). At UCSC, she has found a passion for education and aims to continue supporting the community as a professor in engineering. Katia was a panelist at the 2021 and 2022 National Summer Teachers Institute and the USPTO’s Invention-Con 2021.
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