On September 19, 2016, we posted a blog (here) announcing the FDA-sponsored competition to create an app that will connect victims of overdose with carriers of naloxone. Well, now we know the winner, and we also know that the competition attracted significant attention, as 150 teams registered for the competition and FDA received 45 submissions, which were revised by the competition sponsor’s judges. The winning app, OD Help by Team Pwrdby was the grand prize winner and took home the $40,000. Team MIT came in second with its app called NalNow.
OD Help is an app that can link potential overdose victims with the nearest carrier of naloxone, identifies the victim’s location, and represents a high tech way to save lives. One might say – well, if someone has taken an overdose, how could they activate the app? OD Help thought of that as well. Seems that the app can detect diminished breathing patterns that could indicate an overdose and will automatically activate itself and seek out help from a naloxone carrier. Quite amazing. You can read more about the contest from FDA’s posting here. There are also YouTube videos that demonstrate the apps attributes for the winning app, as well as MIT’s second place app that can be viewed here and here.
Amazing what technology can do and what smart people can do! Read more at the FDA link above.
