May 4, 2011
See inventions on display through MayEight BKW sixth graders from Karen Barber’s science class will have their inventions on display at the Schenectady Museum and Suits-Bueche Planetarium through May.
Briana Clancy, Devon Duncan, Patrick Farnan, Ryan Fox, Stephanie Mason, John McGivern, Kristen Norray, and Laura Simpson were eight of 100 students selected from the more than 1,300 who participated in Invention Convention 2011 to display their ideas.
Invention Convention 2011 is a statewide invention education program for school students. The goal is to stimulate the development of students' creativity and imaginations, thereby building a new generation of American inventors. The competition was open to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Entries were reviewed by a panel of judges, which includes members of local patent law associations, scientists, educators and other patent professionals. Then 100 students were invited to make models of their inventions, which will be on display from May 3 until May 26, 2011 at the Schenectady Museum and Suits-Bueche Planetarium.
Twenty-five inventions will be selected as finalists by a panel of judges. The finalists will be announced at the IC 2011 regional ceremony on May 26, 2011 at the Schenectady Museum and Suits-Bueche Planetarium.
[click on the thumbnail to see a larger image of each student and his or her invention]
Briana
Clancy was inspired to come up with a more effective,
innovative way to remove head lice. Her invention features two sticks to
help sort through the hair and a special pocket of gel that would kill
the lice and can be released with the press of a button. The light at
the top helps to spot the hard-to-see bugs.
Devon
Duncan decided it would be more practical to come up with an
invention that would allow consumers to buy one pair of sneakers with
various attachments instead of having to buy a pair of ice skates and a
pair of rollerblades or roller skates, etc. In his mock up version, he
demonstrated how a pair of ice skate blades could be attached to
sneakers with Velcro.
Patrick
Farnan focused on an invention to help the handicapped and
people who have trouble reaching the higher shelves. His cabinets pull
out and down, allowing anyone to access the top shelf without needing a
step stool.
Ryan
Fox created a hoodie that is complete with four lights: two on
the hood and two on the sleeves. Inside is a controller that allows the
wearer to turn on the lights: one click for the sleeves; two clicks for
the hood; three clicks for all the lights. Fox
said his invention was perfect for campers or scouts. It eliminates the
issue of lost or dead flashlights. He was inspired by an incident at
camp where a fellow camper lost his flashlight, fell, hurt his knee and
ended up having three surgeries.
Stephanie
Mason was tired of missing the bus because of not being able to
see it coming at the end of her long driveway. Her invention puts a
transmitter on the bus and a receiver in the student’s house. The
student could program the receiver to alert the student when the bus was
1 mile, ½, ¼ or 1/8th mile from his or her stop. Each bus would work on
a different signal.
John
McGivern is the inventor of the Wait No More Waiter. It
involves an electronic device that would be placed at the table of a
restaurant. From it, patrons could place their order directly to the
kitchen and also make requests such as drink refills and ask for the
check. The kitchen would then notify the wait staff of the patrons’
needs. McGivern said he got the idea for his invention after waiting for
an hour or two at a restaurant because of slow service. He also said
that his invention would put an end to waiters hovering over tables.
Kristen
Norray decided it was time someone came up with an easier way
to put on soccer socks that are so tight, they are sometimes hard to get
up over the heel. That someone was her. She created a soccer sock with a
Velcro closure up the calf, allowing for easier use. She also did her
research: Velcro is legal for apparel in soccer. Now, she said, her
parents won’t have to listen to her complain about putting on her socks.
Laura
Simpson’s invention lets you know when that important piece of
mail you are waiting for finally arrived. Her mail-to-phone sensor
eliminates the need to go back and forth to the mailbox to see if the
mail has been delivered. The deliverer puts the mail in the box, which
causes the sensor to alert the phone (cell or house) that the mail is
ready to be picked up. Simpson was inspired to
create her invention after almost slipping and falling while constantly
going back and forth to see if a piece of mail she was waiting for had
finally arrived.
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