Innovative engineering students to compete

UW–Madison undergraduate student inventors will bring medical devices, bicycles, a ballista, a tattoo machine, time-sensitive paper, computer furniture and more bright ideas to campus for this year’s Innovation Day competition. The event is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, Feb. 12-13, at the Engineering Centers Building, 1550 Engineering Drive.

The students will compete for more than $24,000 in prizes in the Schoofs Prize for Creativity and Tong Prototype Prize competitions. In its 10th year, the contest awards cash prizes to ideas and inventions that are judged the most innovative and most likely to succeed in the marketplace.

The event, which includes presentation judging and prototype viewing, is free and open to the public. UW–Madison students can collect a door-prize ticket for each invention presentation they attend; prizes include computer electronics, merchandise from area businesses and Babcock ice cream.

Winners will be announced at the competition’s close on Friday, Feb. 13.

The Schoofs Prize for Creativity is sponsored by Richard J. Schoofs, who graduated from UW–Madison in chemical engineering in 1953. The Tong Prototype Prizes and grants are funded by the Tong Family Foundation, which includes Peter P. Tong, who received a master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from UW–Madison in 1965.

Limited public parking is available in the ramp adjacent to the Engineering Centers Building. Construction is taking place in the area, but the north and east ramp entrances are open.

The schedule of events follows.

Thursday, Feb. 12

8 a.m.-3:45 p.m.: Presentation of student entries in the Tong Auditorium. Prototypes and student posters will be available for viewing in the atrium.

Friday, Feb. 13

7:45 a.m.-9 a.m.: Presentation of student entries in the Tong Auditorium. Prototypes and student posters will be available for viewing in the atrium.
11:30 a.m.: Awards ceremony and door-prize drawing, Tong Auditorium.
12:45 p.m.: Celebration of Thomas Edison’s birthday, west wing lobby, includes a visit from Thomas Edison and powering of his 1880s generator.

This year’s entries include:

Air-Tuner Drum System: A pneumatically driven device for tuning drums.
Angular Lifting Dolly: A device that enables one person to lift and move heavy objects with reduced physical exertion and risk of injury.
Aqua Blitz: A floating ballista that launches its passenger into deep water.
Barrel Tattoo Machine: An improved, battery-operated device that applies elaborate decorative tattoos to human skin.
Cello Talon: An attachment for the endpin of a violoncello that keeps the large stringed instrument from slipping on any surface.
Disabled Patient Positioning System: A portable platform that can lift and rotate an occupied wheelchair for better patient access to vital health-care equipment.
Disc Finder: A transmitter-based system that helps disc golfers locate misplaced discs.
Flexi-desk: An adjustable, portable computer desk.
Ice Light: A replaceable edge-lighted film that creates illuminated images such as logos or advertising within ice sheets in ice arenas.
Ice Net X: A novel tool for landing large fish while ice fishing.
Infinitely Variable Chain-Driven Transmission: A replacement for the standard bicycle derailleur that provides an infinite number of drive ratios, making a more user-friendly, robust shifting system.
Inflatable Transfer Assistance Platform: A two-stage inflation device that helps aides easily and safely lift a patient who has fallen.
Lighted Christmas Stocking: A decoration that can be filled with gifts.
MatrixSticker: A matrix of time-sensitive paper that changes color after a specified amount of time has elapsed.
Polymer Pellet Separation via Density: An automated method for separating different types of polymer resin pellets for plastics processes.
Portable Computer-Aided Drug Dispenser: A device that helps patients adhere to their medication regimens.
S-BMX: A conversion kit that transforms BMX-style bicycles into downhill skiing machines for the extreme sport ski-biking.
The GAS System: An on-board fuel-processing and engine-cooling system for vehicles with an internal hydrogen-combustion engine.
The Laptop EZ Store: A removable desk-mounted laptop support that doubles as a space-efficient storage device.
Tub Timer: A bathtub valve that automatically shuts off water flow after a specified amount of time.