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20 stories, supported by the America Foundation for Bulgaria and told by 24 Chasa
In this project we tell you stories of Bulgarians that we meet at the Modern Optimists Club, because the current trend is to believe that you will be successful. And have someone to support you.
Today we introduce Rumen Hristov, who, after winning 3 gold medals at the International Computer Olympics, graduated from MIT. There he developed a device that monitors patients, including those infected with coronaviruses, from their homes.
The machine, which resembles a router, monitors the pulse and respiration of 4 patients in a nursing home in the United States.
There is only one in Europe and it is with the healthy grandmother of the Bulgarian, who lives alone.
Coronavirus-infected patients who are not in a serious condition are treated at home and are sometimes difficult to follow by a doctor.
A smart young Bulgarian, 26-year-old gold medalist at the Rumen Hristov International Computer Olympics, and his team in the United States have developed a device that can help the sick at home.
Rumen compares the device to a Wi-Fi router: it is small, it works wirelessly and its range is within an apartment. “The technology allows people in your home to be monitored without using another device.” Track if they are walking or sitting, it is so sensitive that
can
detects
the frequency
breathing and pulse “,
explains the software engineer. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and remained in Boston.
At university, he met a professor and students, with whom he later founded the Emerald company. It is she who offers the device on the market, to pharmaceutical companies that test new drugs, medical researchers or doctors. The device is very suitable for people with chronic diseases who rarely visit their doctor.
Most pharmaceutical companies in the United States have research offices in Cambridge, meters from MIT. From the beginning, they showed great interest in the team’s work. So he managed to get some funds for the first steps. Soon after, he signed many contracts.
Work with people infected with coronavirus is at an early stage. Four are currently being monitored with positive samples in a nursing home.
“The first patient we started observing was quite ill and over time he began to improve.” We follow 2-3 basic things: The respiration rate was much higher in the first days: 23-25 breaths per minute, and when it started to normalize, it dropped to 18. For the average person, the normal is about 20 We could see and how fast it goes, at first it was much slower, “says Hristov. The team hopes that in the future the device will also understand if a person is coughing, which is an important symptom of COVID-19.
The main advantage of Emerald is that it works remotely.
“There are many devices that you have to carry or place sensors in various places, but the problem with them is that you have to mount a lot of things or have the person use it.” This further reminds patients of their problems, and especially the elderly refuse to use it. They are also more inaccurate, “explains Rumen.
Technology is
like on the radar
they detect
planes in
heaven
– the device emits a signal, is reflected, and is returned to you. However, when this happens indoors, it is much more complicated, since the signal can be reflected in many other things.
Therefore, the team uses machine learning algorithms. Most of them, through which you can extract information specifically about breathing, for example, or to distinguish one person from another, as well as almost all the software behind the product is the work of Rumen.
The Bulgarian received the biggest award in his life: He and the other Emerald co-founders were listed in “Forbes” “30 under 30s for the United States” in last year’s health care category.
The company’s co-founders hope that over time they will be able to offer their device in other countries as well. There is currently only one in Europe: in Sofia, in Rumen’s grandmother’s apartment. Through him, he monitors her condition daily, while she lives alone.
Rumen admits that he would return to live in Bulgaria years later, but is currently focusing on his work in the United States. But there are many friends who live here and work for American companies, and he believes that this will become more and more normal. “Now
many companies
I realised that
employees can
Work from home
And this has great advantages. Maybe it’s normal for people to work half a week in the office, and the other, from home, “said Hristov.
He also believes that technology is improving our lives, for example, its application gives us better health.
Rumen is currently replacing the Olympics in computing with running.
This is his hobby, but it also satisfies his competitive spirit. And he managed to become the fastest Bulgarian in the New York marathon.
From Shumen to Boston, or how the gold medalist “runs” between competitions, proud of the BG school
He has been involved in programming since the fifth grade, when he enrolled at the A&B School of Computing in Shumen, led by Biserka Yovcheva.
“In seventh grade, I realized that if I could win a gold medal at the international Olympics, it could open the door for me to the United States. That became my goal,” Rumen recalled. And he did it 5 times, obtaining 3 gold and 2 silver medals. That was released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Before competitions, he spends 80% of his free time preparing. Constantly participate in online contests.
“There was a period of about 4 years where I had not missed a single competition anywhere in the world and they were held 1-2 times a week. Sometimes at 4 o’clock in the morning or when I had to be at school, but always found a way and was in front of the computer, “says Rumen.
She has only participated in international finals for students with the MIT team once in college, as she wants to focus on more applied things. However, he admits that racing has made his life much easier.
“Most people find it very difficult when they come because they are very busy.” I was prepared for some subjects, but I also had a learning regime. It also gave me a very good training in programming in detail, I think I am a better software engineer due to competitions. They had to review very quickly, in minutes, the work of several people and find a small mistake, which now gives the company the advantage of seeing the big picture and finding problems quickly, “Rumen said.
However, he does not abandon competitions, but participates in a different way. In the first years after leaving, Rumen often carried out tasks for competitions. In 2015 he performed almost all the tasks for the Balkan Computer Olympics in Ruse.
He keeps in touch with new students in the United States and helps those at MIT.
Rumen is proud that Bulgaria is distinguished by its good training in these sciences. It is difficult to find high-level schools in the United States, and in our country there are dozens of them.
There are also foundations like the American Foundation for Bulgaria and the America Foundation for Bulgaria, which help the Team Association. We owe a lot to these foundations, which sponsor many of the international Olympic Games, “said the programmer.
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