These engineers of the future started influencing the world now. From “curing cancer” to “saving the bees” to a “human carwash,” their ideas have been turned public.
The annual SIOY Showcase displayed 32 projects fighting for a spot in the final competition. BYU community members, inside and outside of the engineering college, could grab popcorn and snack as they walked through the rows of booths.
Teams explained their projects and answered questions from curious students and judges of the competition alike.
Those judges, engineering and real-world professionals, took note of the presentations and graded each team based off of a rubric with three categories: engineering, innovation, and impact.
Dr. Spencer Magleby, a judge at the showcase and previously Associate Dean for the College of Engineering, found satisfaction in seeing what teams were up to.
I’m loving seeing the passion of students for things that make a difference in the world.
These projects have been in the making for at least a year, teams working with mentors and repeatedly producing prototypes.
Attendees of the showcase described it as “compelling,” “disruptive,” “invigorating,” and “futuristic.”
Compiled judges' scores determined the seven finalists that will be moving forward to the SIOY Final Competition and competing for a portion of a total of $50,000 in prize money.
The following finalist will present their projects on Feb. 27 from 3-5 p.m. in the Event Space on the main floor of the EB:
- Brizi - Ventilated car seat inserts to keep infants cool
- DryRise - A device that tracks how full a bladder is and wakes the user before they have a bedwetting incident
- Indel Industries - Using novel technologies to engineer a treatment for a mutation linked to over 50% of human cancers
- LUNIR Watchbands - An innovative buckle and watchband that fits every wrist size, adjusts easily, adaptable to all watch pieces
- R3ALITY - A compact 3D printer designed to print in any orientation, anywhere (yes, even in space)
- SudStream - An integrated shower and soap delivery system to streamline the showering experience
- Varroa Tech - A biotechnical solution to remotely detect and monitor parasite levels within beehives
Each team will receive $4000 for making it to finals. Teams can use this money to build their product and potentially start a business.
After voting during the showcase, the crowd dubbed Varroa Tech as their favorite, who received an additional $500 for the title.
Honorable mentions at the showcase received $500 and can take their projects back to SIOY next year. The projects that attendees might see again are CompraSi, Crimson, Easey Cream.
Those interested in learning more about the SIOY student competition can visit the BYU Engineering website.
