MemoryLane wins Rep. Ted Lieu’s 2025 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 36th District

When asked what inspired the creation of MemoryLane, Agrima Bhutani said, “My inspiration came from my neighbor Margo. She and her husband, Phil, welcomed us with incredible warmth, treating us like family from day one. Margo had Alzheimer’s, and my family watched her condition get worse. At first, I felt completely helpless. Every time I visited her after she moved to a senior home, she didn’t remember me. But this inspired me to keep trying.

“Things changed when Phil got sick, and I had to help intervene. Margo’s mobility had declined to the extent that she couldn’t even hold a spoon. I’d been reading everything I could about her diseases and therapy techniques, and I learned that simple, colorful objects could help rebuild coordination. So I brought over Play-Doh and shape sorters, which made a huge impact on her mood and hand-eye coordination. Then one night, Margo fell. My dad had to rush over because Phil couldn’t lift her alone. That scared me. What happens when nobody’s around? How can we help caregivers like Phil who are constantly worried but exhausted? I delved into research, determined to find real solutions for people like Margo.

“On top of these interactions I exchanged with Margo and Phil, who inspired me with the development of my app, I also turned to research to find tangible and credible needs within the industry, to propose industry-oriented solutions. When I published my research paper on computational science and neuroscience, I gained an interdisciplinary appreciation for computational tools and resources that can be utilized by neurodivergent patients. Having these valid research results and findings also inspired me to develop MemoryLane.

“That was the source of inspiration that became my pursuit and mission behind MemoryLane. Every feature comes from something I saw with Margo. The photo quizzes help people remember their loved ones’ faces. The medication tracker is for all those pills Phil had to manage. Voice commands work for hands that shake too much to use a touchscreen. The emergency button and fall detection mean that next time someone falls, help comes fast.

“MemoryLane is my way of keeping the promise I made to Margo. This app is for her, for Phil, for my dad, who ran over that night, and for every family going through this. I believe technology should spark from real understanding, and that’s what MemoryLane is built on!”