17-Year-Old CT Student Invents Communication Device for Hospital Patients

When he was 12-years-old he watched his grandmother struggle to communicate with the hospital staff.

Lucca Riccio is now a 17-year-old high school senior at Southington High School who vividly remembers his grandma trying to communicate with doctors and nurses through her oxygen mask. Here is what Riccio told NBC Connecticut:

It was nearly impossible when she would try to talk through the oxygen mask. It was so loud and it covered her mouth which made it really hard for her to talk.

Because of his grandma's frustrating situation, Riccio began work on what he called the 'Tube Talker' which amplifies a patient's voice and at the same time uses noise cancellation technology to get rid of the noise of the oxygen machine.

Riccio has won awards at the 'Connecticut Invention Convention', the 'National Invention Convention', and has been invited to the 'Youth Start European Entrepreneur Award Competition' in Barcelona, Spain.

Lucca Riccio's invention, 'The Tube Talker' is currently patent pending. His Business teacher, Sandy Spinello has been working with Riccio and his invention through an independent study project.