Innovations and Inventions

Inventions are original applications of technology which solve a problem. The scope for inventions is limited only by your imagination. Apply your knowledge of science to make an invention that has a practical application. The invention/innovation may be a new device, method or process that has not existed before or an improvement to an existing solution. Innovations or inventions should solve a problem or provide a different approach to a problem.

Examples of innovations and inventions created by students:

A 17 year old high school student, Dasia Taylor, from the USA invented a special surgical thread using beetroot juice that changed colour when the wound was infected. This low-cost invention can be used in developing countries where access to medical care is limited. Early detection of an infection in a wound has the potential to save lives.
10 year old American teenager Gitanjali Rao was inspired to create a device to test for contaminants in water after learning that the water supply in a town called Flint in America was contaminated with lead and its people faced a variety of health problems. Her device was so effective that she received a patent for her design before she turned 11.
12 year old Eniola Shokunbi was drawn to improving air quality during the Covid pandemic. She designed an air filter using a filter, fan, duct tape and cardboard that eliminated 99% of airborne viruses. USD$11.5M in funding was given to install her air filters in schools in her state, ensuring that every public school classroom had access to clean air.
14 year old Riya Karumanchi noticed that her grandmother who was visually impaired kept knocking into objects even when she used her cane. Riya was shocked to learn that the cane had not been updated since it was designed in 1921. She came up with the idea of a cane that used cameras, vibrations, audio and GPS to assist visually impaired people navigate their environment safely.
16 year old Elif Bilgin from Turkey noticed that plastic made from petroleum could cause health problems and pollution. She turned her family's kitchen into a science lab to create a type of plastic made using banana peels that would break down. She persisted even after failing multiple times and after 2 years, was successful in creating a sturdy type of plastic that was better for the environment and humans. She won multiple prizes for her invention.

Please refer to the competition booklet for the criteria to submit an entry into this category.

A selection of previous winners: