Competition sponsored by NASA Tech Briefs and SolidWorks Corp. attracts nearly a thousand innovative product ideas from engineers worldwide
NEW YORK, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Litroenergy, a patent-pending designed material that emits light for more than a decade without electricity or sun exposure, has won the $20,000 grand prize in the 2007 Create the Future Design Contest sponsored by NASA Tech Briefs magazine and SolidWorks Corporation (http://www.solidworks.com/).
Developed by Steve Stark, a design engineer from Champlin, MN, Litroenergy employs self-luminous micro particles called Litrospheres to emit light for 12 or more years without exposure to any external energy source. The relatively inexpensive material, which can be injection-molded or added to paint, could save billions of dollars in energy costs if it achieves widespread commercial adoption. "The goal is to mass-produce this material and supply OEMs," said Stark. Initial applications are likely to be in safety products such as light safety tape and lighted life rafts or floatation devices.
"This invention and all of the winning entries are wonderful examples of what this contest celebrates -- the application of innovative design ideas to solve real-world problems and make a difference in people's lives," said Joe Pramberger, Publisher of NASA Tech Briefs.
In addition to the grand prize, first place winners (of Hewlett-Packard workstations) were named in six categories: Consumer Products
The LED Cocoon Tent
Stephen Boynton, engineer/designer, Orem, UT
New tent design eliminates zippers and brings the comfort and convenience of indoor lighting to the outdoor camping experience using light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
Machinery/Equipment
Cargo Management System
Jeremy Connell, student, Blacksburg, VA
Design for an aftermarket product for truck beds makes storing and securing loose items simple and convenient.
Medical 3D Ultrasonic Neuronavigation System for Real-Time Image-Guided Brain Surgery Ajay Mahajan, scientist, Murphysboro, IL This GPS-like system could help surgeons navigate through the brain to find and remove everything from tumors to bullet fragments easily, cheaply, and with hardly any cutting.
Safety & Security
Personnel Beacon/Locator (PBL) for Mine Workers
Joseph Hollmann, engineer/designer, Kansas City, MO
The PBL uses ultrasonic waves to pinpoint the location of trapped miners. The miners would carry a small battery-powered device to signal to rescuers that they are alive.
Sustainable Technology
LEDTRICITY
Ted Bristow, master electrician, Kailua Kona, HI
Solar-powered system can illuminate hundreds of thousands of LEDs using inexpensive wires, offering applications to home lighting.
Transportation
Internally Radiating Impulse Structure (IRIS) Engine
Corban Tillemann, student, Dick, Denver, CO
Novel car engine design could dramatically enhance fuel efficiency by changing the geometry of the combustion chamber, resulting in a smaller, lighter engine.
"The Create the Future Design Contest has made a commitment to the creative design process and created a valuable experience for designers," said Rainer Gawlick, vice president of worldwide marketing at SolidWorks. "We are happy to celebrate the ambitious and innovative professionals and students who participate." For the first time in contest history, a Web site was created to allow visitors to review contest entries. Entries with the most views also received awards.
The winners will be honored at an awards dinner in New York City this April. They were chosen from among a record 976 entries to the sixth-annual contest. Finalists were selected by NASA Tech Briefs' editors and judged by an independent panel of engineering managers and executives.
Contest co-sponsors include COMSOL, Hewlett-Packard, and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. For more information, visit http://www.createthefuturecontest.com/.
About NASA Tech Briefs NASA Tech Briefs is an official publication of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration, with a monthly readership surpassing 400,000. The magazine features exclusive reports of innovations developed by NASA and its industry partners/contractors that can be applied to develop new/improved products and solve engineering or manufacturing problems. For more information, visit: http://www.techbriefs.com/.
About SolidWorks Corporation SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systemes S.A. (NASDAQ:DASTYNASDAQ:Euronext Paris:NASDAQ:#13065NASDAQ:DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products. Visit the company's Web site (http://www.solidworks.com/) or call 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America, call +1-978-371-5000). DATASOURCE: Litroenergy CONTACT: Joe Pramberger, NASA Tech Briefs, +1-212-490-3999, Web site: http://www.createthefuturecontest.com/ http://www.techbriefs.com/ http://www.solidworks.com/
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