Meet 13-Year-Old Life Saving Whiz Kid, Mizan Rupan-Tompkins

Meet 13-Year-Old Life Saving Whiz Kid, Mizan Rupan-Tompkins

At such a young age, Mizan Rupan-Tompkins has already accomplished so much, but his sights are set on so much more.

Open a new door today… It could change your life tomorrow. - Mizan

One of the best features of being a writer is connecting with incredible people. It’s not everyday you meet someone that is making a difference in the world. On top of that, an inventor of a product that can literally save lives in the midst of a tragic pandemic. 

Meet Mizan Rupan-Tompkins, creator of the Safe Touch Pro Handle, the #1 antimicrobial plant-based device for reducing germ exposure. 

Whether it’s door handles or pushing buttons, the Safe Touch Pro Handle protects from germ-spread surfaces by avoiding physical contact. This eco-friendly device is created by material that stops bacteria and prevents harmful replication.

South San Francisco native Mizan and his invention has appeared on Fox News, NBC News, CBS News, ABC News, and more. San Mateo County has even declared a day named after him for his plant-based material to help fight against Covid-19.

“I feel very honored! It’s not everyday that you hear of a 13 year-old boy creating a device that can help everyone. I honestly didn’t think that something I created for my parents would take off and sell across the country as it has.” Mizan says.

The idea began early in the Covid-19 pandemic where Mizan would watch his parents use their clothing sleeves to open door handles in public. At a time where uncertainty reached its peak and hand sanitizers were flying off store shelves, Mizan was determined to act quickly. Similar to most great inventions, it was a process that took multiple attempts and didn’t happen overnight.

“I enjoyed going through the process of elimination. I have read many articles of people looking back on their life in regret, stating they should have kept going. I did not want to make that same mistake by giving up early.” Mizan said.

The Safe Touch Pro Handle isn’t the only contraption Mizan came up with. At the age of 10, Mizan created the Age Guessing Bot where a robot can guess your age, gender, and emotion in a matter of seconds.

But why stop there? There is much more to look forward to. The momentum from inventing the Safe Touch Pro Handle has sparked enthusiasm on more projects ahead.

“Right now I’m looking into exploring more A.I related projects like autonomous vehicles, and machine learning for COVID related projects. I believe that after the pandemic, people will still want to be safe. I believe I have ideas that can help more people feel safe.” Mizan says.

Rupan-Tompkins’s future looks about as bright as his smile. Handling publicity is an uneasy task for many, especially for a teenager. When asked how he has been able to endure the attention and how this experience has affected his life, “This has impacted my family and I in many amazing ways. This experience also helped me with my speaking skills. If you go to my very first interview and listen to me there compared to now, you can hear the difference in my confidence level.” Mizan responded.

Mizan is the eldest of three kids and fully supported by his proud parents Ronika and Raphael. He humbly credits his parents for the success and his journey along the way.

The typical teen idolizes athletes, musicians, movie stars, etc. But Mizan finds Tesla CEO Elon Musk a huge inspiration. “I really am amazed. I like what he’s done with Tesla and its self-driving capabilities, the SpaceX program, and also how he stated he almost ran out of cash in 2010 but did not give up.” says Mizan.

Having an innovative and forward thinking mindset is a habit. Playing video games will always be a hobby of his, but running a business is more intriguing. Mizan is currently in the 9th grade and has been homeschooled for the last 3 years. His obsession with learning and creating new ideas has developed high educational aspirations.

“My educational goals after graduating high school are to learn robotics and machine learning at M.I.T. I’ve been tinkering with A.I. APIs, like Microsoft’s Azure and Google’s TensorFlow since age 10.” Mizan stated.

“Kid, you’ll move mountains.” - Dr. Seuss

It’s the underlying spirit instilled in Mizan that continues to spread optimism throughout communities around the world. He certainly dedicates his time seeking new ways to create a safer environment for all. The cheerful approach is contagious, but his passion at such a young age is exhilarating.

I asked Mizan what is some advice for someone that wants to make an impact in their community but don’t know where to begin or how?

“First, write out ideas to solve daily problems. I saw a problem and gave a solution. When you don’t know where to start, just look around your house and problems you may have daily. Also, follow your passion. I enjoyed 3D Printing and I was able to create a business with a 3D printer. For example, if you enjoy Legos you can create a Legos project that can solve daily problems in your household.” Mizan answered.

A hero is someone who acts voluntarily without regard for external recognition, performing duties for the greater good with compassion and empathy. Mizan assuredly checks the boxes.

Cheers to elevating our youth and taking control of our future. We are all in good hands.

Click below to purchase the Safe Touch Pro Handle and support Mizan!