Meet 14-year-old San Diego student Sharvi Mahajan, whose AI system can detect driver fatigue before accidents happen & who is now competing for $25,000 science prize

A 14-year-old Indian-American student has earned a place among the 10 finalists of the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge after developing an artificial intelligence-powered system that can detect driver fatigue before it leads to accidents.

According to a Times of India (TOI) report, Sharvi Mahajan, an eighth-grade student at Bernardo Heights Middle School in California, created NeuroDrive Alert, an electroencephalogram (EEG)-based machine learning system designed to identify early signs of fatigue and warn drivers before they fall asleep.

How NeuroDrive Alert works

Sharvi's innovation combines electroencephalography (EEG) and machine learning to monitor changes in brain activity over time.


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EEG records the brain's electrical signals using sensors placed on the scalp, while machine learning analyses those signals to identify patterns associated with fatigue.

The system is designed to detect microsleep, brief episodes of sleep that can last only a few seconds but may prove dangerous when driving or operating machinery.

According to Sharvi, the technology could also be used in other situations where maintaining alertness is critical.

Five Indian-American students reach the final

Sharvi is one of five Indian-American students to qualify for the final round of this year's competition.

The other finalists of Indian origin are:

• Aaisha Asif (Florida)
• Raji Doshi (Connecticut)
• Arika Kundu (Minnesota)
• Naboshree Santra (Florida)

Why Sharvi entered the competition

Speaking about the competition, Sharvi said she wanted to improve the practical impact of her project while learning from experts.

"I entered the challenge to learn new skills and be exposed to innovative ideas that could significantly refine the real-world impact my project has," she said.

She added that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has always been a major passion.

"I have been deeply passionate about STEM my whole life, and I believe that the 3M Young Scientist Challenge is an amazing opportunity to both pursue my interests further and make a difference in others' lives."

Why EEG fascinates her

According to TOI, Sharvi considers the EEG machine one of the most important inventions of the past century because it can measure brain activity without invasive procedures.

She said EEG technology can reveal valuable information about neurological conditions, sleep quality and attention span, and also plays a key role in developing Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) that help people with physical disabilities communicate and regain independence.

A future in neuroscience and artificial intelligence

Sharvi hopes to build a career combining neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

She said she aspires to become a computational neuroscientist or establish a technology start-up focused on brain science and AI.

"I have always been fascinated by the brain and the mysteries it holds," she said, adding that developing AI models is another area she enjoys exploring.

What is the 3M Young Scientist Challenge?

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge, organised by 3M and Discovery Education, invites students in Grades 5 to 8 to develop innovative science-based solutions to everyday problems.

Over the coming months, each finalist will work with a 3M scientist to refine their project before presenting it at the final event on October 12 and 13 at the 3M Innovation Center in St Paul, Minnesota.

The overall winner of the competition will receive a $25,000 prize.

Inputs from TOI