What participants say …
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Hoopla Rack,
third place and $4,000,
2008 Schoofs Prize for Creativity;
third place and $700,
Tong Prototype Prize;
and Younkle Best Presentation Award
“Through the whole process, I actually began to see my design turn into a prototype, and now my prototype might actually become a patented reality. By the end, I was so happy that I had chosen to take a chance on myself and do something that brought my engineering and hooping life together.”
—Danielle McIntosh
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Pen Smart,
$1,000 Judges’ Award for Special Merit,
2008 Schoofs Prize for Creativity
“I thought of this product two years ago—I wrote it down and kind of forgot about it for awhile. And I realized that if I didn’t do it, I’d always regret it, so I just decided to pursue it. The competition is a great outlet for anyone interested in innovation and development. The experience gives you the tools to develop the idea and the confidence to continue.”
—Daniel Gartenberg
Innovators in the news …
articles about past competitors
Tong Prototype Prize 2003
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Aaron Bland won first place in the Tong Prototype Prize competition for his full suspension bicycle frame. He also won a fourth-place prize in the Schoofs Prize for Creativity competition. (large image) |
First Place
Full Suspension Bicycle Frame, the AB-1: a bicycle frame with a shock-absorbing system for the rear wheel. The design improves comfort, safety and handling for high-end mountain racing bikes.
Second Place
Wing Nut: an adjustable passive protection device used in rock climbing. The device mounts in a range of rock crack sizes.
Third Place
Ferrosphere: combines the visual appeal of a Lava Lamp with the interactive capabilities of electronic music visualization.
Other entries for 2003 include:
Katie Plzak won first prize in the Schoofs Prize for Creativity for her Visual Flow Regime Detection System. (large image) |
Two Phase Flow Regime Detection System: a method for detecting the various states of liquid and gas in industrial pipeline systems.
Releasable Wakeboard Binding: a wakeboard binding designed to release the boot from the board at a predetermined moment of force. The design lowers the potential for dangerous forces to be transmitted to the user's ankle or knee.
Personal In-Flight Exercise Equipment (PIFEE): an exercise device that allows the user to stimulate the lower leg muscles during long airline flights to help prevent the occurrence of blood clots in the legs.
Bracket Racket Bottom Bracket: a bicycle crank arm and bottom bracket assembly that offers higher strength in the crank arms providing a better strength/weight ratio and increased bearing fatigue life.
The Flying Eye: an aerial photography system that allows users to attach a still camera to a lifting device such as a balloon or kite.
The Dual Faucet Fountain: a water fountain or "bubbler" that can be adjusted to fill water bottles.
Digital Blackboard: a white, magnetized writing board that employs black iron chalk. Turning off the magnetic field erases the board. The iron "dust" is collected and made into new chalk.
The Range Doctor: an unmanned golf ball retrieval device for use on golf ball driving ranges.
Ryan Hertel demonstrates the Dual Geometry Tent: a tent that can be quickly changed between two shapes from both inside and outside the shelter. (large image) |
Dual Geometry Tent: a tent that can be quickly changed between two shapes from both inside and outside the shelter.
Solar Saver: a solar battery charger connected to a smoke alarm in order to extend the life of the alarm battery.
CO2 Powered Submarine Propulsion System: a propulsion system for a radio-controlled model submarine.
