Meet the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition Finalists

2024 Undergraduate Finalists

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Gloria Kalnitskaya
Eric McAlexander
Ayeeshi Poosarla
Selena Shirkin
Undergraduate Runner-Up
Gloria Kalnitskaya, Eric McAlexander, Ayeeshi Poosarla, Selena Shirkin
Johns Hopkins University
Adviser: Ahmet Baschat
FetalCare Port System

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Fetal surgery can correct life-threatening fetal abnormalities in the womb with minimally invasive procedures. However, without specific surgical tools designed for fetal use, surgeons must adapt instruments meant for other procedures and indications. To address this issue, the FetalCare Port System is tailored to the uterine environment, reducing risks of membrane rupture and pre-term births – critical problems in fetal surgeries. The system’s unique design, with an obturator that allows for more precise cutting through the uterine membrane and a radially-expanding port sheath, streamlines the surgical process and improves overall efficiency.

Kishen Mitra
Kishen Mitra
Duke University
Adviser: Samuel Adams
MyMeniscus+

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The meniscus – a connective tissue that provides knee joint stability – is prone to tearing, which can impact athletes’ and active-duty military members’ careers. Existing artificial menisci come in a limited range of sizes and shapes which often lead to uneven stress distribution and accelerated wear. MyMeniscus+ is an anatomically accurate, 3D-printed meniscal implant with internal shock absorption networks that can be tailored to factors such as a patient’s weight, age and activity level. With reinforcement structures in high-risk zones, it also can help prevent future injuries in this active population.

Lauren Fitzsimmons
Molly Paras
Zach Spears
Undergraduate Winner
Lauren Fitzsimmons, Molly Paras, Zach Spears
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Adviser: John P. Puccinelli
The Nerve Ninja

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Iatrogenic injuries, or unintentional damage in medical treatments, can occur in many surgeries. In delicate carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgeries, there can be direct damage to nerves and tissue from surgical instruments that have not progressed in decades. The Nerve Ninja enhances safety and efficiency during such procedures by combining the precision of a scalpel blade with the utility of surgical scissors. Featuring a surgical forceps with a groove along one tine and a scalpel slider housed on top, this invention allows surgeons to safely and easily dissect and cut tissue.

Aryan Govil
Eric Yao
Aryan Govil, Eric Yao
New York University
Adviser: Trushant Majmudar
Neuralis™, by Synaptrix Labs

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About 5.4 million Americans live with some form of paralysis. Those with severe paralysis may be unable to speak, though the brain can still generate thoughts and signals about movement and communication. Designed to enhance quality of life, Neuralis is a noninvasive brain-computer interface that leverages brain activity and eye movements. This innovative device, intended for those with total limb loss, aims to empower users by allowing them to control mobility devices with their thoughts. Neuralis is compatible with major wheelchair brands, prioritizes user comfort and easily can be integrated into daily life.

John Thomerson
John Thomerson
Florida Atlantic University
Advisers: Regina Thompson, Kevin Cox
Pet HealthCare Innovations™ Mobility Ecosystem

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In the U.S., more than 13 million dogs suffer annually due to mobility impairment or an inability to empty their bladders without assistance. Existing solutions can be unsanitary, frustrating and injury-prone for owners and pets, so Pet HealthCare Innovations developed its Mobility Ecosystem devices, designed to assist mobility-impaired dogs and other pets with mobility, relieving themselves and receiving bladder expression. These devices support a pet's weight, are clean and easy to use, and are moderately priced. The goal is to reduce euthanasia for mobility-impaired pets and improve their health and lifespan.

2024 Graduate Finalists

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Patrick Dunn
Alireza Mohammadzadeh
Patrick Dunn, Alireza Mohammadzadeh
University of Pittsburgh
Advisers: Steven Little, Leanne Gilbertson, Emilly Elliot
AgriNUE

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Nitrogen fertilizer is essential for crop growth and sustaining global food production, but its inefficient use often leads to environmental and health issues. AgriNUE addresses these challenges by encapsulating fertilizers in microscopic, soil-penetrating, plant-based lipid particles, similar to those used in COVID-19 vaccines. These biodegradable particles slow the nutrient movement in the soil, extending their availability to plants. Designed to release nutrients only near root zones, this approach enhances nutrient use efficiency, reduces nitrogen loss and minimizes environmental impact, providing a more sustainable fertilization method.

Naz Fathma Tumpa
Aiden Hawkins
Naz Fathma Tumpa, Aiden Hawkins
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Advisers: Michael G. Walter, Tyler J. Adams
Color-Metric Sensing of Amine Compounds for Illicit Drug Detection

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As the number of lives affected by illegal or inappropriate drug use continues to rise, this invention can help by offering a new way to detect amines, which are present in a variety of illicit drugs. The cost-effective test uses photoreactive dyes encased in a nontoxic, hydrophilic, biocompatible, and biodegradable hydrogel polymer film to quickly and easily oxidize amine-containing compounds to produce vibrant changes in color and fluorescence.

Adam Gierlach
Adam Gierlach
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Advisers: Giovanni Traverso, Anantha P. Chandrakasan
MiGUT

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The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a complex network of neurons that controls the gastrointestinal (GI) tract's function, regulating the movement of food and hormone secretion. Disorders related to the ENS' electrical signaling cause many GI issues, but there are no noninvasive diagnostic tools available. MiGUT (multimodal electrophysiology via ingestible, gastric, untethered tracking) is a new device that records biopotentials in the stomach and wirelessly transmits data to a base station. Swallowed in capsule form, MiGUT enables faster diagnosis, reduces the need for multiple procedures and improves patient comfort during continuous monitoring.

Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang
Graduate Winner, People’s Choice Award
Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Advisers: Robert Langer, Ana Jaklenec
Nutrient-Stabilizing Materials

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The World Health Organization promotes food fortification as the most cost-effective way to address the micronutrient deficiencies experienced by 2 billion people worldwide. While conventional methods of fortifying foods with nutrient supplements can lead to health and environmental issues, Nutrient-Stabilizing Materials offer an innovative alternative. Based on metal-organic frameworks, crystalline compounds consisting of metal ions or clusters chemically bonded with organic molecules, Nutrient-Stabilizing Materials can be incorporated into foods or taken orally as supplements. Production is time-efficient, energy-efficient, cost-effective and scalable. Using only food-derived molecules, the result is a safe, natural product.

Zhuoran Han
Jaekwon Lee
Graduate Runner-Up
Zhuoran Han, Jaekwon Lee
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Adviser: Can Bayram
Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch (PCSS)

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Increased energy demand and climate change cause power outages, disrupting daily lives and costing American households $150 billion annually. Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches (PCSS) promise to address complex challenges faced by the aging U.S. power grid and transform it into a more reliable and resilient grid. The diamond-based PCSS technology allows for faster recovery from outages and improves grid stability with rapid switching, high-voltage capabilities and exceptional reliability, while reducing reliance on fossil fuels, enabling wider adoption of renewable sources and advancing toward net-zero emissions.