STUDENT NEWS 2:
Undergrads win BIG at innovation competition
 tn February, ME undergraduate students made a strong showing at the 2010 Innovation Days, an annual UW-Madison event that rewards innovative and marketable ideas.
TOP PHOTO: Junior Tom Gerold and his partner, Kara Anderson (finance), won top prize in the Schoofs Prize for Creativity and more than $10,000 in prizes for Apel System, an automated, self-contained system to spray fruit trees while minimizing pesticide overspraying.
MIDDLE PHOTO: Junior Scott Johanek won third place and $4,000 for TriCrimp, a lightweight, pneumatic crimping tool for steel fastening that replaces tedious hand-crimping tools and bulky mechanical crimpers.
BOTTOM PHOTO: Coco Stove, an inexpensive cooking stove that burns plant oils rather than wood charcoal and could create a new industry in rural Haiti, was invented by a team including senior Eyleen Chou. The invention won the Younkle Best Presentation Award and fourth place in the Schoofs Prize, with $2,000 in prizes.
Solar Panel Snow Removal System, a motor-powered system to “squeegee” off snow or debris without damaging the panels was co-invented by senior Adam Strutz, winner of the Sorenson Design Notebook Award and $1,000.
Additional ME student teams included:
Sophomore Kyle Cooper and senior Ben Pfeilstifter invented LEVELS, a trivia and object-building board game, as well as Bedside Swing, a sleekly designed bed tray that can be swung over a user and rotated 360 degrees.
Dyno Charger, a portable cell phone charger powered by a squeeze-operated generator. Invented by freshman Josh Dawson.
Video Game Footpad Controller, an adjustable controller that allows users with hand or arm injuries to play Xbox 360s and other video game consoles with their toes. Invented by senior Matthew Endres.
Range Extending Hitch Technology, a detachable engine-generator for plug-in hybrid vehicles. Co-invented by senior Zack Ward.
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