Delta Secondary grade 12 student Inbal Tzafrir is successfully inspiring and innovating her way through high school. She recently won two prestigious awards at the 2024 Youth Innovation Showcase (YIS), a virtual STEM competition organized by the Science Fair Foundation BC for youth who have used science to solve a challenge in their life or community.
Inbal's groundbreaking personalized and adaptive mobile app, EaseApp, designed to treat misophonia, earned her both the YIS Innovator of the Year Award and the Visionary Award in the 16-19 age category. Misophonia is a sound sensitivity disorder that triggers extreme emotional responses, such as anger, disgust, and panic, when exposed to certain sounds like chewing, typing, or loud breathing.
"I've always had an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)," said Inbal. "I was inspired to develop EaseApp after my younger sister was diagnosed with misophonia. Although not widely diagnosed, it is estimated that one in five people experiences moderate to severe symptoms. While Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and hearing devices that create white noise can help with misophonia, they are often expensive or not covered by insurance. I wanted to develop a solution that was more convenient and accessible to everyone."
EaseApp works by integrating snippets of triggering sounds within existing video games, helping users disassociate triggering sounds from negative responses. The app gradually increases a user's exposure to the triggering sounds through a series of levels to help reduce brain anxiety and negative emotional responses. It can be personalized with relaxing soundtracks and uses gamification principles to encourage engagement and reward users for moving through the different levels. Daily challenges and awards motivate users to watch mindfulness videos and listen to relaxing audio.
The app's effectiveness was demonstrated in a trial involving 26 children, half of whom were diagnosed with misophonia. Participants played daily video games on EaseApp for six weeks and completed surveys that measured misophonia and stress levels before and after the trial. Children with misophonia experienced a 45.4% reduction in misophonia symptoms and a 26.7% drop in stress levels.
Inbal, who aspires to study biomedical engineering after graduation, continues to refine EaseApp. She hopes to introduce it to medical professionals and healthcare institutions for a broader launch in the future.
Beyond her innovative app, Inbal founded Rosie's Network, a group of more than 35 Delta Secondary students dedicated to inspiring younger students to engage in STEM activities. Last month, Inbal, along with club members Maggie, Saskia, Ester, Addison, Phyllix and Minori (grade 12 students) visited Hawthorne Elementary. On Friday, December 13, Inbal, along with Riley (grade 11), Ana, Fatimah, and Upneet (grade 12 students), visited Neilson Grove Elementary. They led grade 2 to grade 5 students in hands-on science experiments, including forming a human circuit, using body conductivity to light up a wand, and experimenting with oil and water to demonstrate density differences. To date, Rosie's Network has reached more than 280 students at Ladner, Hawthorne and Neilson Grove Elementary schools.
"My hope is to expand Rosie's Network more widely across Delta and beyond, turning it into a community organization that advocates for girls in STEM, provides volunteer leadership skills, and creates powerful community connections," said Inbal. "Additionally, as the founder and co-president of DSS' STEM Innovators Club, I would like to organize mentorship and support opportunities for students interested in participating in next year's regional science fair."
Inbal was also recognized on CTV Morning Live recently. You can watch the interview here .
Inbal's leadership and achievements exemplify the Delta School District's vision of fostering an innovative, inclusive community where all learners belong and everyone soars!
