Wake County teens develop apps to fight doomscrolling, boost productivity

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A group of Wake County high school students spent their summer building technology that many adults only talk about. Two separate teams created products designed to improve sleep habits and help users reach personal goals.

The teams behind Aveira Smart Clocks and Nuvo said their projects started as simple ideas and quickly grew into working prototypes, growing waitlists and hopes of launching in app stores.

Aveira Smart Clocks was created to curb late-night doomscrolling. The device works by having users place their phone on top of the clock before bed. If the phone is removed during designated sleep hours, the clock sounds an alarm until it is returned.

"It will disrupt your sleep unless you put your phone back on the dock," said creator Nikhil Tadepalli, who came up with the idea after noticing how often he scrolled in the late night hours. "My focus and productivity had decreased. I was trying to figure out a solution."

Tadepalli recruited classmates Brayan Nguyen and Arnav Sharma to help engineer and design the product. The trio built the prototype themselves by 3D-printing parts, ordering components online and designing a custom circuit board.

"We need something that could actually hold us physically accountable," Sharma said.

Nguyen said the companion app can even notify parents if a child removes their phone during the night.

The students behind Nuvo spent their summer developing a goal-setting app that lets users compete to complete tasks. Whoever finishes first wins.

"We have about 1,020 people on our waitlist," said Akaash Deepak, one of the creators. "We're trying to make this something everyone can use. Even older people."

Nuvo co-creator London-Lee Easom-Oakley said the app is designed to make goal-setting more social and motivating.

"I think it'll really boost people completing their goals and the excitement around it," she said.

Both teams said they are looking for partners to help bring their ideas to market. Deepak said the long-term plan is to introduce a premium version of Nuvo for $9.99 once the app gains traction.

For the students, the summer wasn't just about building technology; it was about proving what young innovators can accomplish.