By Alyssa Hirose February 24, 2026February 24, 2026
His tech-forward science projects aim to make health care more accessible.
Photo by Steve Collins
Age: 16
At first glance, technology appears to be at the forefront of Joel Amaldas’s much-awarded science projects: his work includes an AI detector app for melanoma skin cancer, an AI-powered portable ultrasound device to detect different kinds of cancer nodules, and a wheelchair and software for a headband that can control the wheelchair’s movement through its user’s facial muscles (which is potentially life-changing for individuals who are paralyzed). But Amaldas’s true focus is medical accessibility and practical solutions that can improve lives, including his family’s.
“My family in India don’t have a hospital near them,” he explains.
Spotting skin cancer via a phone app or using an ultrasound device that fits neatly into a box could mean early detection (and earlier treatment) of disease, particularly for those living in remote places.
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This article appears in the March 2026 issue of Avenue Calgary.