GURGAON: A teenager from Haryana has invented a device to help patients of the dreaded ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease speak through their breath. His project is now among 15 shortlisted for the Google Science Fair Award 2014.

Arsh Shah Dilbagi, a student of Class 12 in one of the three DAV Public Schools in Panipat city of Haryana, has invented "Talk", an innovative augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to tackle the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease.

ALS is a neuro-degenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to control muscle movement is lost, and patients in the later stages may become totally paralysed, says the ALS Association based in Washington.

Arsh submitted his project online in February.

Hundreds of thousands of projects were submitted throughout the world as there was no fee to participate in the Google Science Fair.

Ninety projects were shortlisted by the judges for further consideration, and of the 90, five projects were from India.

"The 90 participants were interviewed online by the judges, and they selected 15 projects from nine countries, including India," Arsh told IANS.

Arsh is now the only participant from the Asia region.

He said his device Talk will help ALS patients speak through their breath.

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