"I wanted to be able to help these people and basically give them an extra hand they can use," said Westford Academy senior Alekh Beri, working Friday on data and graphs for flex sensors that will allow him to develop a device to help patients with diabetic neuropathy. See video at lowellsun.com. SUN / Caley McGuane

Sun staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

WESTFORD -- When 16-year-old Alekh Beri's grandmother comes from India to visit next year, he hopes a device he has been developing in his garage and kitchen will bring her some relief.

Beri's grandmother has diabetic neuropathy, a type of nerve damage in the extremities affecting millions of diabetes patients. In response, the Westford Academy senior has been designing a soft-robotics assistive device that patients could use as a sort of individualized prosthetic, complete with the ability to grip objects even when the nerves in their hands are too damaged to do so.

"I saw her struggle with everyday tasks," Beri said. "And I'd recently come across soft robotics, so I just had an epiphany: that molding soft robotics to fit this purpose would be a very good way to treat this condition.

Sun staff photos can be ordered by visiting our SmugMug site.

Beri has been working on the device for more than a year and a half, researching and designing and building in his free time from schoolwork or extracurriculars. He has developed seven or eight different prototypes so far, and a few weeks ago, he filed a provisional patent, meaning he hopes to have his design fully patented next year once he finishes optimizing it.

The device is still in the early stages, but Beri's general idea is to use a silicon rubber base -- the "soft" portion of the "soft robotics" involved -- that molds to a patient's hand. His early iterations are activated with air pressure, causing the rubber to move and grab onto surfaces.

Beri also added several sensors to the inside of the device, hoping that physicians might be able to use them to monitor data points such as temperature and pressure on the patient's hand.

He said many patients of diabetic neuropathy suffer limited functionality in their hands, and he hopes the device will help address that need.

"I wanted to be able to help these people and basically give them an extra hand they can use," he said. "There's a lot of people who suffer from (diabetic neuropathy) and don't get the treatment they need."

Beri has attended several conventions to showcase his work so far. In March, he participated in the Southern New England Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Boston, and his work there landed him one of 10 invitations to the symposium's national level.

Even though his grandmother lives in India, Beri said she has always been the inspiration and is "very proud" of his work. So when she arrives next year for Beri's graduation from high school, he hopes to honor that.

Until then, there's more work to be done.

Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisLisinski.

Read more:

Westford teen's robotics dream? An 'extra hand' for those with nerve damage - Lowell Sun