LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A student at North Oldham High School filed a patent for a trampoline monitoring and alert system.
Darsh Shah and his younger brother wanted a trampoline but their parents wouldn't allow it due to potential injuries. Shah learned about trampoline safety and explored ways that technology could address the concerns, according to a news release.
Shah spent two years working on a patent-pending trampoline monitoring and notification device. It is paired with a mobile app to address safety-related concerns.
According to a news release, Shah has raised $50,000 in seed capital and signed a sponsored research contract for proof of concept testing with the University of Louisville. Shah's research led him to believing trampoline injuries were caused by load or weight of the users often caused by too many people on the trampoline, the moisture level of the trampoline bed and the elasticity of the material.
The device uses three sensors that measure load, moisture and elasticity to measure and track trampoline usage. The device sends tracking information back to a smart device via a mobile app, according to a news release.
"Every year there are several hundred thousand trampoline-related injuries in the U.S. alone – and those are just the injuries that are reported and medically treated," Shah said in a news release. "A majority of these injuries are due to collisions caused by too many people on the trampoline at the same time. While some injuries can be severe or even fatal, many involve concussions or orthopedic sprains and breaks that could easily have been prevented. Our patent-pending device can monitor trampoline usage, alert parents or guardians if there is a concern and reduce injuries from even having a chance to occur."
Shah launched SmartSportsUSA in January 2023 after initially applying for the trampoline monitoring and alert system provisional patent in March 2021.
He is going into his senior year at North Oldham High School and is an alumni of the Governor's School for Entrepreneurs.
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