Catheterized system wins annual student creativity prize

A catheterized system to sense bladder pressure and control urine flow to prevent incontinence won the $10,000 top prize in the Schoofs Prize for Creativity, an annual University of Wisconsin–Madison invention competition.

The competition rewards innovative ideas for marketable products. Dubbed ActiveCath, the winning device was developed by biomedical engineering students Arin Ellingson, Marty Grasse, Ben Schoepke, Jon Sass and Dave Schurter.

In addition, a lightweight, self-contained unit for transporting, cooling and dispensing a keg won the top prize of $2,500 in the Tong Prototype Prize, which rewards the best prototype in the competition. The Portable Refrigerated Beverage Dispenser was developed by Kyle Hanson, a mechanical engineering student.

The ActiveCath demonstration consisted of a half mannequin with a cutaway abdomen. The mannequin wore a belt with a pressure sensor connected to the bladder. The students’ invention enables people with incontinence to monitor their bladder status and relieve the bladder via catheter when they choose.

Sass says the competition was valuable in developing skills outside of engineering. "Looking at stuff from more of a business perspective was something we’re not used to," he says. "It’s always good to try something new."

Hanson says the competition has given him a new respect for the effort that goes into developing products. "Everything looks great on paper, but when you actually go to make it and it comes out, you’re like, wow," he says. "It was an incredible amount of work to make this — I haven’t watched TV in five months."

The winners were chosen from 14 inventions developed by 49 students for Innovation Days, a two-day event held Feb. 11-12 on the UW–Madison College of Engineering campus. The event is comprised of two competitions that award cash prizes to the most creative ideas and the best prototypes. Participants can also win money for submitting the best design notebook or delivering the best presentation.

A complete list of winners follows:

SCHOOFS PRIZE FOR CREATIVITY

• First place and $10,000- Accessible Incontinence Device, a catheterized system to sense bladder pressure and control urine flow to prevent incontinence, developed by Arin Ellingson, Marty Grasse, Ben Schoepke, Jon Sass and Dave Schurter.
• Second place and $7,000- Runway Rescuer, a device to remove aircraft with flat tires from the runway, developed by Becky Broberg, Zach Courter, Dan Kuehn, Peter Shafe and Rob Wilson.
• Third place and $4,000-Hoopla Rack, a system for transporting hula hoops via bicycle, developed by Danielle McIntosh.
• Fourth place and $1,000- Lace Master, a machine that enables an injured or disabled person to tie their shoes tightly with just one hand, developed by Ross Borchardt, Leah Holmes, Jacob Mikulsky, Dave Moseler and Mike Vioski.
• Judges’ Award for Special Merit $1,000-Daniel Gartenberg for Pen Smart, an ergonomic writing utensil that includes multiple writing tips, such as ball-point and felt-tip.

TONG PROTOTYPE PRIZE

• First place and $2,500-Portable Refrigerated Beverage Dispenser, a lightweight, self-contained unit for transporting, cooling and dispensing a keg, developed by Kyle Hanson.
• Second place and $1,250-Lace Master, a machine that enables an injured or disabled person to tie their shoes tightly with just one hand, developed by Ross Borchardt, Leah Holmes, Jacob Mikulsky, Dave Moseler and Mike.
• Third place and $700-Hoopla Rack, a system for transporting hula hoops via bicycle, developed by Danielle McIntosh.

OTHER AWARDS

• Younkle $1,000 Best Presentation Award- Danielle McIntosh for Hoopla Rack, a system for transporting hula hoops via bicycle.
• Sorenson $1,000 Design Notebook Award-Matthew Kuhns for Safesled, an inflatable sled for evacuating people with physical disabilities during an aircraft emergency.