Now in its fifth year, the InVenture Prize competition serves as an annual celebration of innovation among Georgia Tech’s undergrads. From an initial pool of 500 applicants, six teams were selected to compete in the March 13 live finals, broadcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting. Here are the finalists.
Chewbots
What is it? A line of fully automated robotic dog toys. Who made it? Mechanical engineering major Christopher Taylor. What inspired it? Taylor was watching his brother grow tired while throwing a ball for his dog, while the pup was still full of energy. “I realized that sometimes there is a disconnect between when the dog wants to play and when the owner is able to play, so I set out to solve the problem,” Taylor said. Why is it game changing? Taylor lamented a lack of innovation in the dog-toy industry beyond plush toys, rope toys and tennis balls. “The addition of movement makes my toys more interactive for dogs, and the autonomy makes it easy for owners to entertain their dogs,” he said.
1st Place Winner: Receives $20,000 and a place in the Summer 2013 class of Flashpoint, a Georgia Tech startup accelerator program.
AnemoCheck
What is it? An at-home anemia diagnostic test. Who made it? Erika Tyburski, BME 12. What inspired it? Currently, anemia screenings only occur in the hospital through a venous blood draw. Tyburski set out to create a cheaper, easier, at-home alternative. Why is it game changing? AnemoCheck is a disposable test that would retail for only a couple of dollars per unit, and it uses a finger stick. It will allow the 15 million Americans with blood disorders to avoid regular hospital visits for tests. “For the first time, patients that need to test themselves for anemia can do so quickly, safely and accurately in the comfort of their own homes without any upfront cost for complex machinery,” Tyburski said.
2nd Place Winner: Receives $10,000 and a place in the Summer 2013 class of Flashpoint. Anemocheck also won Tech’s ideas to serve competition.
What is it? Software for touch-enabled devices that uses sensors to better protect PIN entry. Who made it? Computer science major Steven Wojcio and electrical engineering major Scott Groveman. What inspired it? “It was inspired by a program I wrote for computers that tries to figure out if you are a certain person based on how you type,” Wojcio said. “I came up with that idea when my boss let me use his username and password to get into his account. It occurred to me that knowing just that should not have been enough.” Why is it game changing? BioPIN makes PIN entry significantly more secure by building a user profile based on pressure and touch patterns.
People’s Choice Award Winner: Receives $5,000.
Spark
What is it? A credit-card-sized cell phone wall charger that fits in a pocket. Who made it? Electrical engineering major Sam Elia and business administration major Grant Heffley. What inspired it? Elia and Heffley grew frustrated with carrying around large chargers and cords to make sure their phones didn’t run out of juice. Why is it game changing? Rather than searching for a place to store their phone chargers, people will be able to just slip the Spark into their wallets and carry it with them.
iSleep
What is it? An in-home platform that replicates the movement and vibration of a car ride to lull babies to sleep. Who made it? Mechanical engineering majors Zack Zalesky and Joseph Hickey. What inspired it? Hickey was babysitting his 10-month-old niece and found that only being put into her car seat and moving would get her to nap. He teamed with Zalesky to see if they could replicate that effect without the hassle of loading a baby into a car seat and hitting the road. Why is it game changing? Anything that can lull a fussy baby to sleep ranks as a near miracle. Plus, it’ll save on all the gas those weary parents would’ve burned while driving during the wee hours.
Hue
What is it? A toaster that uses color sensors to perfectly toast bread. Who made it? Industrial design major Basheer Tome. What inspired it? Like everyone else, Tome had grown sick of watching over a toaster to ensure it didn’t char his bread. “After a bit of brainstorming I ran into the idea of using color, since that’s normally how people work out how done their slice of toast is,” Tome said. Why is it game changing? The Hue toaster ditches the timer and instead uses color-sensing technology to make sure bread reaches the desired state of toastiness.
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