Eight Student Teams Honored as National Winners of 2016 ExploraVision Competition
Toshiba and National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Honor
National Winners with Prizes and Trip to Washington, D.C.
ARLINGTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Eight student teams from the U.S. and Canada were announced today as
national winners of the 24th Annual Toshiba/NSTA
ExploraVision competition. From a magnesium-infused bulletproof vest to
an edible water bottle, the winning projects seek to advance medical,
environmental and even military technologies.
The world’s largest K-12 science competition, the Toshiba/NSTA
ExploraVision competition is designed to build problem-solving,
critical-thinking and collaboration skills emphasized in the Next
Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Student participants are
challenged to imagine a technological innovation that could make a
difference 20 years into the future. They work in teams to propose ideas
for future technology based on an existing societal challenge and
simulate real scientific research to outline how they plan to test their
idea. Since its inception in 1992, more than 360,000 students from
across the United States and Canada have participated in the
ExploraVision program.
Following last month’s announcement of the 24 regional winning teams,
the finalists were asked to further illustrate their innovative concepts
by building web pages and creating short videos. Eight national winning
teams were chosen and are comprised of a first-place winner and
second-place winner from four groups based on grade level.
“The ExploraVision program gives young minds the opportunity to practice
creativity, collaboration, and most importantly, innovative thinking,”
said Mr. Fumio Otani, Chairman & CEO, Toshiba America, Inc. “As a
company that prides itself on creating a better tomorrow through
technology, we’re proud to partner with the National Science Teachers
Association to celebrate the next generation of scientists, engineers
and innovators.”
“Congratulations to the 2016 winning teams and our deepest thanks and
appreciation to Toshiba for their continued support of the ExploraVision
competition,” said Carolyn Hayes, NSTA President. “Over the last 24
years this competition has allowed hundreds of thousands of students to
create, innovate, communicate, and collaborate on some terrific projects
that are driven by their own interests. These inquiry-based experiences
in STEM really spark a student’s curiosity and let them have fun as they
learn to think critically and to solve problems, two very important life
skills all students should have.”
The Future of Healthcare
This year, several winning student teams focused on innovative
technologies to both treat and prevent harmful diseases.
Third graders from Bayville, N.Y. created the Tick Detective, a scanning
device that uses chemical and electronic signals to detect the presence
of a deer tick on the human body to prevent transmission of serious
diseases such as Lyme disease. High schoolers from Plainview, N.Y.
envisioned an implant designed to be surgically inserted into damaged
tissue to promote new cell growth among those with neurodegenerative
disorders like multiple sclerosis and ALS.
Other students envisioned technologies to help those who suffer from
physical disabilities.
Sixth graders from Houston, Texas, imagined a technology that relies on
the neuron-regenerating ability of crayfish stem cells to potentially
treat those suffering from paralysis. High schoolers from Urbana, Ill.,
created the Bionic Eye Implant for Sight (BEISight), a visual prosthesis
comprised of a solar panel, two cylindrical cameras and electrical
signals, designed for long-term use by people who have damaged or
deteriorating retinas.
A Better Environment for Tomorrow
Thirsty for an eco-friendly water bottle? Third graders from Salem,
Ore., designed the water bottle of the future, The Triple-E (Edible,
Electrolyte Balanced, Eco-Friendly). It uses an app to program a 3-D
printer to create customized, edible water bottles with electrolytes
that match the consumers’ specific needs. Not only does it contribute to
a healthier body, but it also eliminates plastic waste from water
bottles.
Some students created “out of this world” environmental solutions. Fifth
graders from Locust Valley, N.Y. devised the Hubble Space Telescope NEST
(Next Elimination of Space Trash), a technology that will clean up
damaging space junk by leveraging the Hubble Telescope and robotic
drones.
Impactful Innovations
Other teams studied today’s technological devices and envisioned ways to
advance them even further. A team of eighth graders from Rothesay, New
Brunswick created a new kind of bulletproof vest that has the potential
to revolutionize bullet safety. Their vest is made of magnesium-infused
metal, allowing it to stand up to the most extreme conditions and more
effectively protect vital organs. A Lagrangeville, N.Y., team advanced
the way smells are perceived with the VISOR, a neuro-olfactory device.
VISOR uses electrodes positioned over the olfactory bulb to sense neural
signals triggered by smell, eventually translating into electric
waveforms. This breakthrough could overcome shortcomings in prior
technology and have profound impacts on education, entertainment, and
e-commerce.
ExploraVision Prizes
Members of the four first place ExploraVision national winning teams
will each receive a $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity).
Members of second place national winning teams will each receive a
$5,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). Canadian winners will
receive Canada bonds purchased for the equivalent issue price in
Canadian dollars. All first- and second-place national winners will also
receive an expense-paid trip for themselves, a parent or/guardian, their
teacher and their mentor, to Washington, D.C., for a gala awards weekend
in June 2016. Students will meet with members of Congress during a visit
to Capitol Hill and display their winning ideas at a Science Showcase.
The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision weekend will conclude with a gala awards
banquet and ceremony to formally recognize the winners for their
creativity and accomplishments.
For more information or to access an application for the 2016/2017
program, visit www.exploravision.org
or e-mail exploravision@nsta.org. Follow ExploraVision on Twitter at @ToshibaInnovate
or join the ExploraVision Facebook Fan Page at www.Facebook.com/ToshibaInnovation.
Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision 2016 National Winners
2016 First Place Winners
Grade K–3: The Tick Detective
Bayville Intermediate,
Bayville, N.Y.
Website: http://nstawebdirector.wix.com/thetickdetective
Grade 4–6: Hubble NEST (Next Elimination of Space Trash)
Locust
Valley Intermediate School, Locust Valley, N.Y.
Website: http://nstawebdirector.wix.com/hubblenest
Grade 7–9: Bulletproof Vests
Rothesay Netherwood
School, Rothesay, New Brunswick
Website: http://dev.nsta.org/evwebs/2195g/
Grade 10–12: BEISight: Bionic Eye Implant for Sight
University
Laboratory High School, Urbana, Ill.
Website: http://dev.nsta.org/evwebs/2638b/
2016 Second Place Winners
Grade K–3: Triple-E: Edible, Electrolyte Balanced, Eco-Friendly
Water Bottle
Chapman Hill, Salem, Ore.
Website: http://dev.nsta.org/evwebs/1458a/
Grade 4–6: A.P.P.: Anti-Paralysis Procedure
The
Village School, Houston, Texas
Website: http://nstawebdirector.wix.com/app-ex-1
Grade 7–9: The VISOR: A Neuro-olfaction Device for Perceiving
Smell Remotely
Arlington High School, Lagrangeville, N.Y.
Website:
http://dev.nsta.org/evwebs/3978m/
Grade 10–12: Intra-Neuromuscular Cellular Regeneration Promoter
Plainview-Old
Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, Plainview, N.Y.
Website:
http://dev.nsta.org/evwebs/4804b/
About Toshiba
Founded in 1965, Toshiba
America, Inc. (TAI) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Toshiba
Corporation and the holding company of six Toshiba operating companies
that offer a broad range of products and solutions for the residential,
commercial, and industrial sectors. The six companies, which along with
TAI are known collectively as Toshiba America Group, are Toshiba
America Electronic Components, Inc. (Semiconductor and
storage solutions), Toshiba
America Energy Systems, Corp. (Power generation solutions), Toshiba
America Information Systems, Inc. (Digital products), Toshiba
America Nuclear Energy Inc. (Nuclear power solutions), Toshiba
International Corporation (Industrial, power electronics &
transmission & distribution solutions), and Toshiba
America Research, Inc. (R&D).
For more information visit www.toshiba.com
About NSTA
The Arlington, VA-based National
Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is the largest
professional organization in the world promoting excellence and
innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA’s current
membership includes approximately 55,000 science teachers, science
supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry
representatives, and others involved in science education.
Contacts
Ketchum
Devon Horowitz, 202-835-9410
devon.horowitz@ketchum.com
or
National
Science Teachers Association
Cindy Workosky, 703-312-9248
cworkosky@nsta.org
