Rumble Rims Wins James Dyson Award 2026
A low-cost infrared headset for concussion screening took the global medical category at the 2026 James Dyson Award.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Youth
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Radhika Saran, Cleo Pontone and Sophia DeVito won the global medical category of the James Dyson Award 2026 for Rumble Rims, a low-cost headset that tracks eye movements. The team received $40,000 to accelerate development.
Why it matters
Rumble Rims is designed to make concussion screening easier and more accessible for schools, youth sports teams and grassroots athletes. The award spotlights a tool aimed at people who lack access to clinical testing.
The headset runs a two-to-three-minute test measuring how eyes follow objects, focus and move, with results shown on a mobile screen in real time. Rumble Rims is a screening tool and not a diagnostic device.
The players
James Dyson Award
An international design competition founded by inventor James Dyson that recognizes student and recent-graduate engineering and design projects.
Radhika Saran
An Indian-origin architecture trainee and Harvard University student who co-created Rumble Rims.
The details
Rumble Rims uses infrared cameras to track an athlete's eye movements, and a recovery dashboard allows repeated testing over time. The headset was created by Radhika Saran, an Indian-origin Harvard University student, together with Cleo Pontone and Sophia DeVito.
Timeline
2026: James Dyson Award 2026 winners announced, including Rumble Rims in the global medical category.
Youth Sports Context
Rumble Rims is positioned as a concussion screening option for youth and grassroots athletes, a group that often lacks the clinical testing available at professional levels. The award places a student-built screening device alongside other James Dyson Award projects recognized for practical health applications.
Schools, youth sports teams and grassroots athletes may gain access to a lower-cost way to screen for concussion-related eye tracking changes. The stub does not confirm when or where the device will be available.
The takeaway
Low-cost screening tools built by students can address gaps in youth sports safety that clinical testing does not reach. Watch for validation results before relying on any screening device for medical decisions.
Further reading
Explore more stories in the Youth section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Indian Express.
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Should schools and youth sports teams use low-cost tools to screen athletes for concussions?
