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10 Talented Kids Whose Inventions Can Save Humanity
Louis Braille was 15 years old when he invented a reading and writing system for the blind and Benjamin Franklin was just 12 when he invented swim fins. In order to become a brilliant inventor, all you need is some inspiration, willpower, and self-confidence. And the people in our compilation prove this to be true.
We at Bright Side admire these people so much that we can’t help but want to share their achievements with you.
1. Jack Andraka, US, age 16 — cancer diagnostic test
After the death of someone close to him, Jack grew interested in early oncology diagnoses. He familiarized himself with scientific publications and set a goal to create a method for diagnosing pancreatic cancer. This disease is almost asymptomatic, and it can only be detected in its later stages.
Within 7 months, the boy was working in a laboratory after school. He ended up creating a small device that could detect mesothelin in the blood. An excess amount of this protein indicates the presence of malignant tumors.
2. Valentin Frechka, Ukraine, age 18 — paper from fallen leaves
A high school senior named Valentin Frechka came up with the technology of producing paper from fallen leaves. This invention will help stop deforestation and make paper production environmentally friendly.
1.5 tons of raw materials can produce 20,000 sheets of A4 paper. Any leaves are suitable for production, however, oak leaves are suited best. The waste can be processed to get lignin which is considered the perfect fuel. Valentin was awarded a gold medal for this unusual use for fallen leaves at Genius Olympiad 2018 held in the US.
3. Sergei Khaliavin, Russia, age 17 — a computer mouse for people without arms
Sergei Khaliavin was a high school student when he came up with the idea of a computer mouse for people without arms. He decided to help his friend who wasn’t able to use a computer mouse the way everyone else did. His invention looks like a shoe with a control board from a regular mouse. The mouse can be controlled by the user’s toes.
Sergei says that he got used to this device within one week and even learned to play computer games with it. The student’s teacher helped him develop the invention. The innovative mouse was honored at the Moscow International Inventions and Innovative Technologies Contest, “Archimedes — 2016”.
4. Kylie Simonds, US , age 13 — a backpack for kids with cancer
Kylie Simonds has been fighting cancer for a long time. Despite her illness, the girl wanted to walk, communicate with friends, and attend school. But her need to wear an IV limited her abilities significantly. That’s why Kylie found a way to maintain an active lifestyle despite her cancer. She placed a device with medicine in a regular school bag so that she didn’t have to be stuck at home to get treatment via drop counter. The girl received a patent for her invention and plans to launch the backpacks to the public.
5. Laalitya Acharya, US, age 13 — electricity from vehicular motion
Laalitya Acharya is fond of researching cheap and easily renewable energy sources. Her device called the TraffEnerate transforms waves from passing vehicles into electricity. Such devices can be installed at busy intersections and highways. The girl and her project became the winner of the Discovery Education 3M contest in 2017.
She got the idea after she had visited India and saw the way kids lived without electricity and built bonfires to heat up their shelters.
6. Anna Du, US, age 12 — a robot that searches for garbage on the ocean floor
Anna likes to walk along Boston Harbor. During one of her walks, she noticed that there was tons of rubbish on the beach. The girl tried to collect it herself but couldn’t get it all. That’s when Anna decided to design a device that could look for microplastic at the bottom of the ocean.
Plastic absorbs infrared radiation which makes it is easy to detect with special sensors. The girl hopes that the robot will soon be able to look for plastic as well as suck it up. Anna was invited to Young Scientist Lab where she is now working on improving the device.
7. Gitanjali Rao, US, age 12 — a device for detecting lead content in water
In 2016, the residents of Flint, Michigan became poisoned due to high lead content in the water. At the same time, Gitanjali’s parents started to buy special test strips to check the water but they would often receive incorrect results. That’s how the girl got the idea to invent a device that would spot the content of heavy metals. The device is based on a filter made of carbohydrate nanotubes that with the use of a Bluetooth connection, can allow you to monitor the indicators from a smartphone. Gitanjali became the best young scientist in 2017 in the US.
8. Curry Bishop, US, age 10 — a device that will prevent the death of children in closed cars
This young boy started to think about the invention after his neighbor’s 6-month-old daughter died while trapped in a closed car. The temperature inside cars can reach 140°F in the summer even if the windows are slightly open. In order to prevent the deaths of children, Curry came up with a device equipped with a thermometer, sensors, and a cooling system. The device is attached to the headrest and signals when the temperature in the cabin becomes critical. The Toyota company has already expressed interested in the project.
9. Brittany Wenger, US, age 17 — an early diagnosis of breast cancer
This Florida schoolgirl invented artificial neuron networks that help diagnose breast cancer. This is a computer program that analyzes data like a human brain. Using this program, you can study the tissue taken in for analysis.
Today, Brittany’s invention can diagnose the illness with 99% precision. The girl keeps improving on the neuron networks. Apart from breast cancer, she can already diagnose aggressive forms of leukemia. Wenger got an award for her invention at The 2012 Google Science Fair.
10. Ann Makosinski, Canada, age 16 — a thermoelectric flashlight
Ann Makosinski invented an unusual flashlight that works not from batteries but from body warmth. The girl explained that she got the idea after talking to her friend living in the Philippines who claimed she failed to do her homework due to a blackout.
The flashlight Ann invented doesn’t require a battery which means it won’t pollute the environment. The project was recognized at several scientific exhibitions, including The 2013 Google Science Fair.
Did you ever try to invent something in your childhood? We’d be glad to hear from you in the comments!
Preview photo credit CTV News / youtube
