Health app developed by adults with autism for entrepreneur challenge

AUSTIN, (KXAN) — Cameron Erb, a student at the nonPariel Institute in west Austin, recently lost 50 pounds. “I’ve struggled my weight for most of my adult life,” he said while discussing the app he and his classmates recently developed. The app, called “Linked Heartbeats” aims to help people find an easier path to health.

It was developed entirely by a team of adults with autism for The Conrad Challenge. “It is a competition to help make the world a better place.” said fellow ‘crew’ member Tyler Carthel.

The Conrad Challenge was founded in honor of Pete Conrad, an astronaut on Apollo 12 and the third man to walk on the moon. The challenge gives students an opportunity to develop ideas that could improve the world.

April 23 through April 26, students will pitch to a panel of judges at Space Center Houston, the visitor center of the Johnson Space Center. Winners of the challenge could receive up to $100,000 in scholarship funds.

Creating a health app

The crew from nonPariel, consisting of Erb, Carthel, Jorge Reyes, and Thomas Ferguson, worked with the Dell Technologies Student Tech Crew program to build the app. Dell taught the team members not only how to build an app, but also sponsored their participation in The Conrad Challenge.

Joel Schildwachter is the crew’s teacher and will be accompanying them on the trip to Houston to present the challenge.

The app, “Linked Heartbeats”, provides simple health goals: do five push-ups, eat a carrot, etc… When users finish a task, they gain energy in the app which then are used by “workout buddies”– little monsters meant to encourage fitness.

As they get more energy, they evolve to bigger more powerful forms. Sort of like Pokémon.

The app is meant to provide healthy options for everyone. “We’re also targeting those who are physically incapable of this, like those who are bound by a wheelchair,” Carthel said.

Disability and Obesity

Carthel said they chose a health app because of the greater number of disabled people effected by obesity. “There’s a lot more people who, who have these disabilities who are overweight, than there are those who are overweight who don’t have disabilities. And we are a few of these people.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults with disabilities are at a far greater risk for obesity.

“We have tried to lose weight, and tried out different methods to do so. And with many others just can’t quite find something that works exactly,” Carthel said. The crew hopes that their app will help reduce this risk. It will be free once it is published.

The app, win or lose the challenge, is already a success. Erb said the weight he lost, 50 pounds, is a result of the project.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.