At the most recent Aggies Invent, students solved the problems of the future, focusing on infrastructure and architecture. Students were challenged to incorporate the latest technology, 3-D printing, drones and robotics as they competed to create the most innovative and compelling solution for building horizontal or vertical buildings. This theme pushed students to think ahead into the next 100 years, and anticipate the drastically different and advanced technology of the future that would be incorporated into a job site.
At Aggies Invent, students are given only 48 hours to solve the issue presented to them and create a prototype. Each Aggies Invent theme is different to keep students ready to tackle the next big issue. This competition is an environment built to host inspiration and support entrepreneurship and innovation.
In first place was It's A Climb, which consisted of petroleum engineering senior Abrar Alshaikh, mechanical engineering sophomore Mauricio Bailey, civil engineering freshman Erick Zaruma, mechanical engineering junior Jesus Maltos and master’s candidates in industrial engineering Komal Koya and Hemik Parikh. The team developed a sensor that attaches to a ladder to indicate if the ladder is not placed correctly. This device will help stop falls from ladders, responsible for a quarter of all falls in construction and will prevent $11 million from being lost in accident costs each year.
Second place went to Green Is The New Black made up of civil engineering student Kush Daxesh Patel, applied math sophomore Diana Aviles, computer science freshman Justin Rodriguez, and civil engineering master’s candidates Nidhi Raut, Yash Menaria and Akash Bajaj. Green is the New Black’s project focused on recycling plastic for new uses, constructing roads and pavement.
Third place was awarded to Aggieland Dynamics sophomores Alexander Perry in nuclear engineering, Cameron Rivera in electrical engineering, Cooper Burner in mechanical engineering, industrial engineering graduate student Nitlin Vingnesh, mechanical engineering junior Humberto Rocha and Austin Oneal in construction science. The team created a construction helmet designed to prevent its wearer from overheating by incorporating technology that warns the wearer when they are at a dangerously high temperature. This invention will improve the safety measures already being taken on a construction site.
The top three winning teams were awarded $1,000, $750 and $500, respectively and will gain global exposure through Aggies Invent’s partners. Joeris and JB Knowledge sponsored the weekend.
Written by Jessica Spence