Invent Your World

[Brandon Martus]

This was sent to me via e-mail, FYI:
As you may know, Dean Kamen is a winner of the Lemelson Award and FIRST has had some engagement with the MIT/Lemelson InvenTeams program. Here’s a Lemelson competition that may be a good opportunity for FIRST teams: http://www.inventyourworld.org/

Those aged 12-20 are eligible, 50 teams will get $1,000 each, and there is a top prize of a $20k scholarship.

[synth3tk]

This is very exciting! It seems the field of robotics geared towards younger people are falling out of the sky.

A few members of Team 964 are very interested in this.

[smartkid]

Hello everyone!

Some of you may remember me from the Grant Imahara Vexplorer Contest. I am at it again but this time for a much more personal reason.

I have been working on a project for about a year now, details can be found here: http://community.buglabs.net/Smartkid/posts/41-TruV-found-a-bug

I have applied for the Invent Your World contest and hope to be chosen. Please wish me luck and give me feedback on my project!

As always,
Thanks,
-Cody

TruV, an organization ran by Cody Smith is attempting to use twenty-first century technology to aid those who are visually impaired to those that are completely blind. We are excited to announce that BUG Labs has taken interest in our project and will be providing us with our very own BUG to prototype a device that could drastically change the lives of over forty million people across the world.

The device and its functions are explained in the diagram here: http://community.buglabs.net/photos/0000/0121/truv_02.jpg?1229473289

The idea started with my own personal frustration that the world had not already developed such a device even though the technology had been around for years. While using my camcorder I found that the viewfinder and optical zoom-lens assembly was the solution, right there in my hand. Someone just needed to take these technologies and mash them together. Since no one was jumping up and taking action I took the job on myself.

I plan to use the BUG development platform to prototype my device with the hopes of getting some real R&D money from various organizations that work with disabled persons and students, many of whom cannot drive because of their disabilities. I myself am legally blind.

Anyway thanks very much to the BUG group,

I will keep the community updated on this project.

-Cody

[synth3tk]

That looks like a very excellent project, Cody! I'm excited to see it go from concept to mass production.

We've been reading this site over-and-over, but we can't figure out if this contest has a specific subject or not. Our small group came up with a few ideas, but the one we decided to submit (which we haven't yet) is a life-saving one. Does this fit in with the contest subject, or should we choose one that is more "green"?

[smartkid]

Thanks!

I know what you mean but as far as I can tell these guys are looking for projects far and wide. I don't think there is a specific "field of interest."

Good luck, with fifty teams being picked theres room for a lot of people to advance there ideas from concept to production.

[CharlesYV]

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder that Invent Your World's deadline for Round One is December 31, 2008!!!!

Not much time left to submit ideas.

If you have a concept/prototype that might have social benefit, please go ahead and tell us about it. We don't need all the details right now... just one paragraph.

Please tell everyone you know.

We will start posting some of the entries here... http://www.genvcampaigns.org

[synth3tk]

Whooo, we got picked! :D
http://genvcampaigns.org/2009/01/07/idea-construction-accident-prevention-system/

Also, congratulations, Cody on your pick! :)
http://genvcampaigns.org/2009/01/07/idea-personal-visual-enhancement-system/

[CharlesYV]

Hi everyone,

A quick reminder that the last day to submit your invention project in the Invent Your World Challenge is this coming Sunday - March 15, 2009.

Entries are eligible to receive one of fifty $1,000 seed grants and a chance to win a $20,000 scholarship.

http://www.genvcampaigns.org

Charles

[smartkid]

Hey guys, just a quick follow up, I was picked by Invent Your World to receive a $1,000 seed grant. Heres the article: http://genvcampaigns.org/2009/03/02/venture-truv/

Just today however, I got a chance to talk with Paul Gudonis, the President of FIRST. My FRC team, 2023, was at the Florida Orlando UCF regional. I was able to introduce myself at the VIP Lunch. Later Paul Gudonis came down to our pit area and let me explain the project in more detail while he wrote a few key points down in a somewhat informal interview.

This project is by far the biggest venture that I have ever attempted. Yet I have been able to bust open so many doors, receive so many opportunities, and meet so many great, powerful, contacts. It's amazing. I just have to thank FIRST and all the people out there that make things like this a complete possibility.

I have a few years of hard work ahead of me before this goes commercial but after two years of FIRST, I'm ready. Wish me luck both in the Invent Your World competition and the overall success of the TruV project.

~Cody

[synth3tk]

That's awesome news to hear!!! Congrats! :)

Unfortunately, the group of ex-teammates I was working with either lost interest or forgot, I still haven't figured it out yet. I really wish we would've kept with it, but the past is the past.

Anyway, good luck with your project!