Aarrav Anil has had a deep interest in mechanics（机械学） since childhood. This allows the teen to represent （代表） India at more than 20 robotics competitions around the world. But Aarrav didn't create his smart spoon to win a prize. He saw his uncle, who has Parkinson's disease （PD） （帕金森病）, struggling to feed himself. Food kept falling out of his mouth, making him look a mess. He wanted to make a change.

More than 7 million people in India have PD．The disease influences the brain, causing patients to shake uncontrollably. As the disease progresses, it leads to difficulty in eating by oneself.

Aarrav wanted his uncle to be able to eat by himself. This encouraged the teen to look for a way to help his uncle. So he took to his room with sensors（传感器）, a 3-D printer and other tools. But not everything went well.

"It was disappointing not to be able to find certain parts I needed in India. I had to buy some from abroad," Aarrav said in an interview.

Aarrav made a first model, but the spoon handle was not easy for his uncle to hold. "I've improved the invention. It needs to be waterproof（防水的）. The spoon must be easily separated, so that it can be cleaned and replaced with a fork. And the spoon needs to be deeper to hold more food," the teen said.

The smart spoon is now being tested at a local college. The test is expected to be completed in early 2024. Aarrav hopes that his smart spoon will be used in hospitals soon.