Meet the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition Finalists

One of the most exciting times of the year has arrived — time to gear up for the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition^® (CIC)! Everyone at the National Inventors Hall of Fame^® is thrilled to announce this year’s Finalists and looks forward to rewarding the most promising among them.

On Oct. 16, 10 student teams, five Undergraduate and five Graduate, will arrive in Washington, D.C., for this year’s competition. When these young inventors gather the following day at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in Alexandria, Virginia, they will present their work to and gain valuable insights from a panel of Judges including National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees and intellectual property experts. Winners will receive cash prizes as well as patent acceleration.

Our CIC Finalists represent some of the nation’s top colleges and universities — and they just might be next great creators, innovators and entrepreneurs to make life safer, easier and better around the world.

2024 CIC Undergraduate Finalists

FetalCare Port System

Selena Shirkin, Eric McAlexander, Gloria Kalnitskaya and Ayeeshi Poosarla, Johns Hopkins University

Fetal surgery can correct life-threatening fetal abnormalities in the womb, but without specific surgical tools designed for fetal use, surgeons must adapt instruments meant for other procedures. To address this, the FetalCare Port System is tailored to the uterine environment and supports safer, more efficient surgeries by reducing risks of membrane punctures and pre-term births.

MyMeniscus+

Kishen Mitra, Duke University

The meniscus – a connective tissue that provides knee joint stability – is prone to tearing, which can end athletes’ and active-duty military members’ careers. MyMeniscus+ is an anatomically accurate, 3D-printed meniscal implant with internal shock absorption networks that can be tailored to factors like a patient’s weight, age and activity level. It also can help prevent future injuries in this active population.

The Nerve Ninja

Zach Spears, Molly Paras and Lauren Fitzsimmons, University of Wisconsin–Madison

In delicate carpal tunnel release surgeries, instruments sometimes can cause unintended damage to nerves and tissue. The Nerve Ninja enhances safety and efficiency in such procedures. Combining the precision of a scalpel blade with the utility of surgical scissors, this invention allows surgeons to safely and easily dissect and cut tissue.

Neuralis^™, by Synaptrix Labs

Aryan Govil and Eric Yao, New York University

About 5.4 million Americans live with some form of paralysis. Some are unable to speak, though the brain can generate thoughts and signals about movement and communication. Neuralis is a noninvasive brain-computer interface that leverages brain activity and eye movements, empowering users to control mobility devices with their thoughts.

Pet HealthCare Innovations^™ Mobility Ecosystem

John Thomerson, Florida Atlantic University

In the U.S., more than 13 million dogs suffer annually due to mobility impairment or an inability to empty their bladders without assistance. Pet HealthCare Innovations developed its Mobility Ecosystem devices to assist pets with mobility, relieving themselves and receiving bladder expression. These moderately priced devices support a pet's weight, and are clean and easy to use. The goal is to reduce euthanasia and improve pets’ health and lifespan.

2024 CIC Graduate Finalists

AgriNUE

Alireza Mohammadzadeh and Patrick Dunn, University of Pittsburgh

AgriNUE encapsulates 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.

Color-Metric Sensing of Amine Compounds for Illicit Drug Detection

Naz Fathma Tumpa and Aiden Hawkins, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

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.

MiGUT

Adam Gierlach, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Disorders related to electrical signaling in the enteric nervous system cause many gastrointestinal issues, but there are no noninvasive diagnostic tools available. MiGUT (multimodal electrophysiology via ingestible, gastric, untethered tracking) records biopotentials in the stomach and wirelessly transmits data. Swallowed in capsule form, MiGUT enables faster diagnosis, reduces the need for multiple procedures and improves patient comfort during continuous monitoring.

Nutrient-Stabilizing Materials

Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The World Health Organization promotes food fortification to address the micronutrient deficiencies experienced by 2 billion people worldwide. Nutrient-Stabilizing Materials offers an innovative approach. Based on metal-organic frameworks, it can be incorporated into foods or taken orally as supplements. Using only food-derived molecules, it is safe and natural, as well as time-efficient, energy-efficient and cost-effective.

Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch (PCSS)

Zhuoran Han and Jaekwon Lee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Diamond-based Photoconductive Semiconductor Switches (PCSS) promise to address complex challenges faced by the aging U.S. power grid and transform it into a more reliable, resilient grid. They allow for faster recovery from outages and improve 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.

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