Riding the Brain Wave

F E A T U R E

By Denice Rackley

When Ryan Ahmed’s father suffered a brain aneurysm, Ahmed sprang into action, developing earbuds that register brain activity. At New York Tech, he has taken his idea even further with the support of the Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center.

Attending New York Institute of Technology for the depth of knowledge, opportunity, and support beyond the classroom, Ryan Ahmed, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, is well on his way to bridging the worlds of technology, brain health, productivity, and entertainment.

During high school he and his friends, including fellow New York Tech student Pari Patel, set out to develop groundbreaking earbuds that could not only play music, but also provide information on brain health. Witnessing his father’s struggle after a brain aneurysm deeply impacted Ahmed. The sudden aneurysm developed into a brain bleed that continues to affect every facet of his father’s life.

Learning that most aneurysms occur without outward signs or symptoms before a traumatic rupture occurs, Ahmed began poring over the science behind brain health. Fueled by his interest in this, Ahmed and his friends discussed how health and wellness are increasingly connected to technology. After all, the Fitbit and Apple Watch have revolutionized the health industry, putting detailed information about heart health, blood oxygen levels, respiration rates, skin temperature, calories, and sleep patterns at our fingertips.

Student Ryan Ahmed talks about the evolution of his startup, Niura.

Could Similar Technology Monitor Brain Health?

Capturing the electrical activity in the brain (electroencephalogram or EEG) currently only happens with cumbersome equipment in a clinical setting. Typically, the patient wears a cap containing multiple metal discs (electrodes) that register brain activity. Wires connect the electrodes to an instrument that amplifies and records the brain waves. According to the Mayo Clinic, EEGs can diagnose seizure disorders and help diagnose and treat encephalopathy, brain dysfunction, trauma, stroke, and sleep disorders.

In their basements and garages, Ahmed and his friends began exploring the idea that earbuds could be designed to detect brainwaves. Using silicone mixed with connective filament, they created prototype earbuds wired to a large battery and amplifier to magnify the electric signals. With the theory proven, their business was born. They named the startup Niura.

The team enhanced the technology to create a comfortable earbud equipped with silicone tip electrodes and rechargeable batteries that detect electric signals from the brain and interface seamlessly with the accompanying app.

Niura designed wearable smart technology with brain health implications.

Ahmed wanted a college education that would directly apply to the budding business. As part of his search, he began looking into programs that offered opportunities beyond the classroom. Discovering several options, he contacted New York Tech faculty to get a feel for how he and his goals to develop Niura would be received.

“I reached out to Dr. Michael Nizich, director of the Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center (ETIC), and other faculty to explore resources at New York Tech that could help me refine the technology but, more importantly, would support a startup company and assist on the business and financial end of things,” Ahmed recalls, ultimately solidifying his decision to attend New York Tech.

Supporting Entrepreneurs

The engineering experience within the ETIC and the available specialized equipment has enabled the Niura team to test and refine prototypes in the shared workspace on the New York City campus. (There is another location on the Long Island campus.)

Lending his expertise in developing entrepreneurial tech-based businesses, Michael Nizich, Ph.D., has been a much-needed sounding board. “Our conversations revolve around business models such as licensing and selling the technology versus competing with other earbud companies, developing pitch decks, gaining funding, and reviewing any correspondence from interested companies and investors,” Nizich says.

Nizich suggested to Ahmed that he investigate the opportunities offered at the newly formed New York Institute of Technology incubator, a co-working and event space for technology-based companies to grow together, located at the Digital Ballpark in Plainview on Long Island.

“Having just launched our technology incubator at the Digital Ballpark, it is befitting that Niura is our first occupant at the facility. Niura’s journey is a testament to New York Tech students’ limitless imagination and tenacity and the university’s built-in culture to foster the growth of such entrepreneurial ventures,” says Babak D. Beheshti, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences.

Peter Goldsmith, M.B.A., director of industry relations at the College, explained that Long Island Software and Technology Network (LISTnet), which runs the Digital Ballpark, offers New York Tech entrepreneurs dedicated office space that they can access at their convenience, along with a wide array of educational programs, networking opportunities, and business support.

Goldsmith, director of New York Tech’s co-op program, is dedicated to supporting students as they venture into the software and tech business world. “Transitioning from idea to intention and then to a commercial product is a huge leap. We provide guidance for entrepreneurs, helping them bridge knowledge between the worlds of business and technology,” he notes.

By having an office at the Digital Ballpark, Niura has benefited from access to accountants, lawyers, patent attorneys, investors, and networking opportunities with other tech startups, Ahmed says.

Ahmed divides his time among the Long Island and New York City campuses, the ETIC, and the Digital Ballpark. “The resources available to me by combining the strengths of both campuses and the ability to work alongside my team in both spaces and look out on Central Park is inspiring. Working with everyone at the Ballpark and with Dr. Nizich has helped us refine the technology and navigate all the details associated with a startup business,” Ahmed says.

Niura earbuds

“We plan on returning to the idea of using this technology to enhance brain health, but for now we are working toward an entertaining general wellness app to solve a common everyday problem impacting work performance: the loss of focus.” –Ryan Ahmed

Bridging Ideas and Marketing Opportunities

With the assistance of everyone they have worked with and talked to, the Niura team realized that developing the earbud for prescreening medical issues would be exponentially more expensive and cumbersome and involve FDA trials and approval.

This understanding led the team to shift their objective. “We plan on returning to the idea of using this technology to enhance brain health, but for now we are working toward an entertaining general wellness app to solve a common everyday problem impacting work performance: the loss of focus,” Ahmed explains.

Many people wear earbuds and listen to music to drown out distractions. As college students and business entrepreneurs, the Niura team understands that stress and loss of concentration impact the ability to absorb, retain, and relay information. “Often, hours pass before realizing progress has ceased, and we have lost concentration,” Ahmed says. He believes that if there were a way to notify individuals when stress increases or concentration fades, significant amounts of wasted time could be avoided and productivity would increase.

Gamifying productivity is where Niura’s brainwave-sensing, Bluetooth-enabled earbuds and the app come in.

Stress and focus are evident with brainwave analysis. The Niura app redirects users, prompting them to take a break or utilize breathing exercises. The personalized app incentivizes focus by allowing users to track their progress, gain focus points during use, and compare results with other users or friend groups.

Currently, the team is involved in customer discovery and user testing. “We are mapping out what is happening while using the earbuds. To ensure the accuracy of the reading, we are speaking with users to see how they feel, how much time they are saving, and asking questions about their general experience,” Ahmed explains.

From Dream to Reality

Grateful for the experiences that working with Nizich has provided, Ahmed notes, “As a direct result of working with Dr. Nizich, I have connected to the right people. I have had the opportunity to speak to the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences Dean’s Executive Advisory Board and share our research at numerous conferences and competitions.”

Ahmed was chosen to attend the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) seven-week training program. This program aids scientists and engineers in evaluating their technology with a commercial lens, enabling them to envision the transformation from the technology to a beneficial product, process, and service.

Ryan Ahmed (left) and two of his friends who cofounded Niura.

“New York Tech is helping me make my dream a reality.” –Ryan Ahmed

The Niura team has been venturing far and wide to share their story, capturing interest and securing venture capital. Placing first in Europe at the Round Pier Entrepreneurship Competition, second at Stony Brook University’s Wolfie Tank Competition on Long Island, third in the Florida Blue Healthcare Innovation Challenge, and as a finalist at the Sling Health St. Louis challenge, the team is gaining valuable experience presenting their earbuds and corresponding technology to top tech companies.

FoundersBeta, an online tech community that finds and funds global tech talent, released its top 100 companies to watch in 2024. Niura ranked 34th on their list.

Now, two years into his college experience at New York Tech, Ahmed says, “I couldn’t have dreamed of the extensive assistance and support I’ve received from New York Tech staff and partners. Beyond the excellent educational opportunities, they are helping us succeed in the business world. They have walked us through the patent and pitching process and assisted us in navigating the complex and confusing investor offers to fund and scale our business.

“New York Tech is helping me make my dream a reality.”