Uma Smith is an industrial designer based in Brooklyn, New York. She was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 11. She has been hospitalized four times for seizures; three of which happened away from home. People around during that time were panicked and were helpless. Since then, Uma tried to find a solution and came up with Cocoon, an anti-suffocation pillow combined with technology that provides safety for someone experiencing a seizure and alerts the ambulance. Cocoon also has written first-aid instructions for people around to informs them what to do when a person has a seizure.

She was the  2019 American national winner of the James Dyson Award.

For more information, visit: https://www.umasmith.com/copy-of-empower

Check out her video made by The James Dyson Foundation where she explains how the Cocoon works.