"[Desaulniers] was in my class when he got word that his father died," Melton says. "You're always concerned with students when that happens ... and to see him pick up and do something and even turn it to be a good design is really rewarding."
Melton says the project is more advanced than many projects he's seen from many of his fifth-year computer engineering students.
"Once a few people started telling us it's a good idea, once we felt more confident in it, we showed it around where we could," Sereni said.
The prototype placed third in RIT's "Shark Tank" competition and earned the young inventors the Xerox Best in Show Award at ImagineRIT last year.
The students’ BioTelemetrix prototype only cost them $100 to manufacture, a price they think they can reduce by manufacturing the device in bigger batches.
"I've spent a hundred bucks on stuff that's way less useful," Sereni said.
They hope to market BioTelemetrix to medical personnel, families with those who need medical monitoring, and even the military.
"There's a lot of potential here," Cziesler said. "We're definitely looking into starting some sort of business here."
The students are weighing several options, including an overseas launch or even entering the market through a kickstarter program.
Both Desaulniers' father and grandfather started businesses. He thinks doing the same will make his dad proud.
"The thing I miss most about my dad is he would always brag about me to everyone," Desaulniers said. "So I'm sure now, up in heaven, he's probably bragging to everyone."
