Inventions are changing the world every single day and, as technology keeps advancing, the potential for those inventions to lead to more good is booming. Can you remember a time before the iPhone came out when we had to print driving directions from MapQuest or connect to the Internet with a modem? That one invention has drastically changed how we live and made our lives much, much easier. It’s not just seasoned scientists and computer programmers who invent world-changing and human-focused solutions, however. There are plenty of inventive kids and teenagers out there who have made a mark on the world through invention. This week, we’ll discuss some of them.
Param Jaggi
Throughout history, plenty of inventions have been brought to life by children or teens, like the popsicle, for example, which was invented when a kid left a stick in a bowl of water outside overnight. This was obviously quite a long time ago, but plenty of student inventors have made their mark on the world more recently, too. Like inventions in the past, some of the inventions might happen by accident or without much intent at all while others are born out of necessity to help them solve a pressing problem. By harnessing the spirit of invention and leaning on some of the values brought to life through the Maker Movement, there are so many children and young adults who are out to do good in today’s world. And, many of them are using entrepreneurial skills and an inventor’s mindset to make that happen.
That’s certainly the case for this first young inventor. Param Jaggi began experimenting and working with environmental technologies when he was just 13 years old. Of course, environmental efficiency and preservation are both huge topics of conversation and focal points for scientists, world leaders, and citizens today. Using the spirit of invention and recognizing some key needs, Param soon got an idea for a new invention while he was learning to drive as a teenager. In an effort to conserve energy, he was inspired to build a device that would convert some of the carbon dioxide that the car emitted into oxygen. This device was able to save energy and improve air quality, leading to Param receiving multiple awards and he was also included in Forbes’ 30 under 30 list of innovators changing the energy sector!
Param’s story is one that can also inspire additional inventions for optimizing energy efficiency. If you turn on the news for just a few minutes or browse some news websites, chances are that will be a topic you hear a lot about. Especially with presidential debates now in full swing, this will continue to be a huge topic of conversation. Using Param’s example, there’s no reason students couldn’t build on what he’s made possible and find ways to make solutions more user-friendly, efficient, or affordable. If the technology is not already available for making improvements, chances are there will be something available in the near future that inventors could use. It’s all about keeping that inventive spirit alive, recognizing a societal need, and working together to reach a common goal.
Cassidy Goldstein
Here’s a really cool invention that we actually didn’t even know about, but one that’s more geared towards education and helping kids. Cassidy Goldstein was just 11 years old when she invented crayon holders for younger children. What is a crayon holder, you ask? Well, it’s basically a clear device the shape of a crayon and students can insert their crayons inside the tube-like shape so they can be used all the way until they completely run out. If you’ve ever used crayons in the classroom or for, you know, coloring some cool pictures, you know they wear down just like a pencil does. There are no crayon sharpeners, however, (usually), so kids often can’t hold them in their hands anymore even though there is still some crayon left once they get down near the end. Cassidy didn’t enjoy facing this problem and that led her to this pretty ingenious solution.
Besides the practical benefits of this invention, there are also some educational ones. They’re fairly obvious, but the crayon holders allow students to complete art projects and other work more efficiently without having to hunt around for new crayons as often. It can also help keep their creative thought process active since there are ideally fewer interruptions in their coloring experiences. Simple improvements like these are what make little inventions like crayon holders so interesting and appealing to those who they can help the most. In the case of crayon holders, the biggest beneficiaries are probably kindergarten and Pre-K teachers or any educators who encourages coloring in afterschool or summer camp programs. Since they can be used just about anywhere, it truly was a brilliant idea by Cassidy!
This invention has actually been around for about 20 years as Cassidy came up with the idea in 1999. With that being the case, we’re wondering why more educators don’t use them and why we’ve never actually seen one! Fueled by the simple desire to extend the life of her crayons, Cassidy went looking for a solution, which is exactly how some of the best inventions come to light. Soon after creating the crayon holders, Cassidy received a patent for her idea, which, as you might expect, has helped tons of kids, parents, and teachers everywhere. The crayon holders have been sold in countless toy shops and Cassidy even won an award as the Youth Inventor of the Year for this extremely practical handy work. Today, teachers can challenge their students to think about a problem they face often and use Cassidy’s example to inspire solutions!
Philo Farnsworth
This child-created invention was brought to life quite a long time ago, but ended up being involved with one of the most important technologies of all-time. We’ve all probably spent hours and hours watching television—probably even a couple of hours at some point today—but the way in which we are used to watching it was not always possible. When Philo Farnsworth was 14 years old (back in 1920!), he created a way for watching TV that involved a whole lot more convenience. We’ve become very used to having a remote control when watching TV and the convenience this allows for. It hasn’t always been possible to change the channel or the volume without getting up from your seat, however. Philo’s invention, which ended up changing electronics and netting him a good amount of money, essentially paved the way for a new age.
The television has been a huge part of the lives of so many people. It’s kind of hard to imagine a time without them, without there being one in every home, without there being on in every hotel room, and now without there being one in almost every bedroom of every home. Although it may be fading in terms of significance thanks to the Internet, the immediate availability of news, and, of course, the streaming of shows, the television was once an enormously immense part of day-to-day life. Before Philo’s invention, the television was not as prominent in society and the availability of this new technology made its position in the lives of people much more prominent. It definitely was an amazing innovation—especially for being developed way back in the 1920s!
So, what exactly did Philo’s invention help enable? He designed a prototype for an electronic television system when he was in high school and showed his work to one of his teachers. At that time, most other TV designs were non-electronic and used small mirrors to convert light into electricity. Philo’s design included a component called an image dissector, which made it different from the rest and made the technology in televisions much more efficient. This model was adopted in a lot of subsequent television manufacturing and helped Philo make a good amount of money. The technology company RCA ultimately paid Philo $1 million for the rights to manufacture his design and the watching and developing of television was revolutionized forever, illustrating how inventive creativity can both change the world and help people make a nice living.
Jack Andraka
We all know that cancer is a horrible thing and way too many of us have been touched by its devastating effects in one way or another. As research into finding a cure continues to take place, it seems likely that scientists are going to need some serious innovation or some serious luck to actually achieve a breakthrough. Of course, cancer can be managed and even put into remission using the common techniques of chemotherapy and/or radiation, but these don’t necessarily constitute the discovery of an actual cure. For this young inventor, creating some form of progress in the battle against cancer was something he could consider a win. When he was 15 years old, Jack Andraka developed a cancer test that could help detect one of the worst illnesses faced by anyone—pancreatic cancer.
Jack’s invention was something that could be used in the diagnostic portion of the process for one of the most fatal types of cancer. A lot of times, once somebody realizes they have pancreatic cancer, it’s too late to really treat it because it spreads so powerfully. With this technology, Jack helped make possible a new kind of test when he was a sophomore in high school. He made use of something called nanotube technology to test for a specific protein in the blood called mesothelin. When somebody contracts pancreatic cancer, their pancreas emits this particular protein into their blood and finding it is all that it takes to confirm the diagnosis. If the test came back positive and the presence of mesothelin was detected, then that told Jack that pancreatic cancer was present.
For his invention, Jack received the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award for youth achievement. He also received a grand prize of $75,000 at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his work back in 2012. Though he was not the first to invent nanotube technology, he was the first to manipulate the process of using it to test for and identify the presence of pancreatic cancer. This invention brought with it the potential to change the way that pancreatic cancer was diagnosed. For such a young person, Jack realized that something fairly simple could unlock something so important in terms of cancer detection. Especially for treating pancreatic cancer, early detection is pretty much required for someone to have a fighting chance and Jack is a fantastic example of using technology and ingenious thinking to advance the greater good!
Louis Braille, Spencer Whale, and Catherine Wong
We couldn’t decide who the fifth and final child inventor on our list should be, so we’re going with seven in total. If the first name on this list sounds familiar to you, there’s probably a good reason for that. Louis Braille is the inventor of the Braille alphabet and reading system for blind children and adults. Of course, Louis’ invention has helped millions and millions of people be able to read books, find their way around in new places, and gain all sorts of knowledge. And, it must be quite the innovation since it is still used today—almost 200 years after it was invented! Louis was just 15 when he masterminded this critically important invention after becoming blind himself at the age of three. Each braille letter and punctuation system consists of six small, raised dots in various formations and allows blind individuals to read much more easily!
Now, for a really impressive childhood invention. Spencer Whale was just six years old when a trip to the hospital got him thinking of a way to make things more comfortable for kids who are forced to spend a lot of time there. He came up with the idea for the KidKare Ride-On Car, which helped kids remain connected to the medical devices they needed to be on, including IV’s, and still be able to play freely. Spencer noticed that it was very difficult for kids in the hospital to play in a normal way because the medical equipment they were often hooked up to was much too restrictive. Using Spencer’s invention, doctors or nurses could now attach equipment like IV bags and poles to the KidKare car so that kids can wheel them around, play more freely, and still remain safe. This genius innovation by Spencer got us thinking why nobody came up with it sooner!
Last but not least is Catherine Wong, who came up with an innovation in healthcare at just 17 years old. She realized that in many parts of the world, where top-notch healthcare is often needed but not provided, there is a severe lack of optimal medical technology. Despite this lack of technology, she also knew that mobile phones were prevalent enough that they could potentially be used to help with treatment. So, Catherine invented a small device that is able to display a patient’s heartbeat right on the screen of their mobile phone. They can even use it to administer their own electrocardiograms to check for any problems! For such a small piece of technology, Catherine’s invention could potentially improve medical care and day-to-day life for millions of people!
All of these kid inventors have accomplished some amazing things thanks to technology and could very likely go on to do even more good! We hope these stories inspire students to use the same types of creativity and perseverance to invent whatever they would like! For the latest EdTech, STEM, and 21st century education news, follow Eduporium on Twitter and Instagram. Like us on Facebook, too, or sign up for our newsletter for our latest product announcements and offerings. If you have an idea for the next Eduporium Weekly theme, send us a message on any of our social media accounts or comment below.