After her friend fainted at school, 15-year-old Aanya Mansani felt panic bubbling up when no one nearby knew her medical information or who to contact.
“That experience made me realize that during emergencies, the problem isn’t always a lack of willingness to help, but a lack of accessible information,” the Texas-based teen told Good Good Good.
That crisis inspired her to create Emergen, a QR-code-based emergency medical information platform.
“[It] allows bystanders to access essential information, including allergies, medications, medical conditions, and trusted contacts, simply by scanning a QR code with a smartphone,” Mansani said. “No app download or login is required.”
Most modern smartphones have a built-in Emergency SOS mode, but Mansani’s technology turns any everyday object — like a student’s ID badge, bookbag, or phone case — into an emergency tool. It’s especially useful for younger students who do not have phones, or do not have access to them during the school day.
According to Mansani, the tool also puts privacy first.
“One of Emergen's key innovations is its tiered-access approach to privacy,” Mansani explained. “Bystanders can access essential emergency information, while an additional access level is being developed and tested to allow verified medical professionals to view more detailed medical information. This approach is designed to balance immediate accessibility with the protection of sensitive health information.”
The tool also includes “masked calling,” which allows bystanders to call an emergency contact without exposing personal phone numbers.
“I learned how to turn a real-world safety problem into a practical solution by researching gaps in emergency response and designing Emergen to make critical information accessible within seconds,” Mansani told Good Good Good.
The high schooler perfected her design using feedback from her family, classmates, teachers, her school nurse, and a Battalion Fire Chief with Frisco Fire Department EMS.
“[They] helped ensure the solution addressed real emergency needs,” she said. “This process taught me how to balance usability, privacy, and technology while building a solution designed for real emergencies when every second matters.”
After inventing Emergen, Mansani and her team won the junior division grand prize at the 2026 Technovation World Summit, one of the world’s largest tech competitions for girls.
“Winning [this prize] was an incredible milestone, but my larger goal is to bring Emergen into schools and communities, helping people feel more prepared to respond during emergencies,” Mansani said.
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Featured Image: Courtesy of Technovation
