Academic Publications
Chapter: Health 4.0: Digital twins for health and well-being
With the rise of wearables, social media, and personalized recommender systems for health, integrating these technologies is crucial for delivering real-time, context-driven, and preventive care. Digital Twins, originally utilized in Industry 4.0, now offer a way to create digital replicas of living or non-living entities, facilitating proactive and predictive maintenance. This chapter explores the literature on Digital Twins for personal health, covering terminologies, applications, and current gaps in the field.This chapter aims to provide an overview of the existing literature on Digital Twins for personal health and well-being, covering key terminologies, applications, and gaps in the field.
Conference: Towards a Decision Support Tool to Prescribe Recreation for Older Adults
Social isolation, heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, is a significant issue among older adults, often leading to loneliness, which is now considered a greater public health concern than obesity. Recreational activities offer multiple benefits, including physical, mental, social, and cognitive advantages, and can help alleviate social isolation and loneliness. Social prescriptions, gaining traction in the UK and Canada, encompass diverse non-clinical interventions such as educational classes and nature-based activities. However, current literature lacks thorough explanations for these recommendations. This paper outlines a qualitative study aiming to develop and validate a decision support tool (RxOSI) suggesting recreational activities to combat social isolation among older adults, addressing challenges and proposing solutions in the field.
Conference: A Prototype for Decision Support Targeting Recreation Prescriptions
This paper addresses social isolation in older adults by proposing ℞OSI, a web-based decision support tool designed to help independent living staff recommend activities to enhance social engagement. Developed using Design Science Research Methodology and qualitative methods, ℞OSI incorporates input questions covering demographics and interests, providing tailored recommendations based on Social Exchange Theory. The prototype, built with open-source software, offers personalized activity suggestions and preparation checklists, aiming to incrementally increase social engagement. Future plans include testing the prototype with older adults and experts for further refinement.
Teaching
Part-time Professor, Algonquin College, Winter 2024
I am teaching a course on Ethics and Digital Health for third-year undergraduates enrolled in the Bachelor's in Digital Health Program at Algonquin College. List of lecture topics:
Week 1: Introduction to Health Ethics
Week 2: Roles of Autonomy and Informed Consent
Week 3: Introduction to Privacy and Security
Week 4: Ethical Positions on Data Collection and Public Health Surveillance
Week 5: Online: Refresher on Essay Writing for Ethics
Week 6: Ethical Challenges of AI-driven Healthcare
Week 7: Ethical Dilemmas in the Era of IoT and Digital Health
Week 9: GDPR
Week 10: HPIAA, PIPEDA, PHIPA
Week 11: Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) in Healthcare (Part I)
Week 12: Conducting Privacy Impact Assessments (Part II)
Week 13: Ethics in Digital Health Ecosystem
Week 14: Social Media and Ethics in Health
Social Impact
Startup: Bridging Social Isolation Through Tech
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, I co-founded Seniors Junction to combat social isolation among seniors through technology-driven initiatives. Our virtual music appreciation programs provided seniors with a sense of community and belonging during uncertain times. Now, as we transition back to in-person gatherings, Seniors Junction continues to foster connections and enrich the lives of seniors through the power of music in Toronto and beyond.
Charity: Public Health Justice
I co-founded in 2012 and based in Mumbai, India, Public Health Justice is a registered Public Charitable Trust with certifications affirming its commitment to transparency and accountability. Focused on children's holistic development, particularly in urban slums, it operates the Step 1 Balwadi program, providing preschool education and care to underserved communities. Led by dedicated donors, volunteers, and community workers, Public Health Justice works to address educational disparities and promote sustainable solutions, making significant strides in improving the lives of children and families in Mumbai's urban slums.
Media Coverage
Burlington Post & Hamilton Spectator
Burlington Post & Hamilton Spectator
Burlington Post & Hamilton Spectator
Burlington Post wrote an article on Seniors Junction in their Life Section titled "Burlington social enterprise empowering retiree lives through music appreciation"
uOttawa Faculty of Engineering News
Burlington Post & Hamilton Spectator
Burlington Post & Hamilton Spectator
I won the second prize at the Faculty of Engineering's 2022 Entrepreneurial Idea Competition for Seniors Junction covered in the article "New start-ups led by uOttawa engineering students create technology for healthy living"
Hobbies
Poetry
Poetry
Poetry
Millennial Rumi is a collection of my poems from 2009 to 2021. These poems reflect personal growth through different phases of life. Each of the poems has been written in under ten minutes. They came as a thought, voice or idea from within. Most started with a word and the end product was a surprise to me too. These poems cover common topics like friendship, love, relationship, self-doubt, grief, joy and many other emotions, feelings and experiences we experience on daily basis. I believe everyone has a poet within them, they just have to let it come out.
Art
Poetry
Poetry
Painting with friends is something I love to do in my free time, as it allows me to express myself creatively while enjoying the company of loved ones. Visiting art galleries is another hobby of mine, where I find inspiration and gain insight into the world of art.
Music
Poetry
Music
Inspired by my startup, Seniors Junction, I've taken up piano lessons to stimulate my brain and potentially prevent dementia by building new neural pathways. In addition to the cognitive benefits, I find joy and relaxation in immersing myself in the melodies and rhythms of piano music.