Invention Convention Americas 2023 presented by RTX, is a celebration of the best student inventors from the Americas. Invention Convention Americas is the culminating program for top young inventors from National programs in Mexico and The United States. At Americas, selected finalists from these programs were brought together virtually to continue their invention journey by meeting other inventors and competing for awards and cash prizes. To participate, invited students were required to submit a video presentation of their invention, a prototype, an inventor’s logbook showing the journey of their invention process and a poster board highlighting key points of the invention process.
Judging took place end of July – early August and winners were announced August 26, 2023.
Of the 13 awards presented, 3 of them went to 4 of our California Invention Convention inventors. We are so proud of these young inventors — as well as all of the California inventors invited to the Americas competition.
Grades K-5 – 3rd place winner; Avish Banerjee – for his invention PRO-SAFETY (Preventive Risk Observation And Safety Alert Technology For Industry) designed to prevent/reduce the occurrences of construction site injuries due to environmental heat exposures, collision with approaching objects, overexertion and slips/falls or trips. Sensors and coded microbits detect the following and sound alarms warning workers so that injuries can be prevented/reduced:- Environmental heat exposures
- Approaching objects
- Overexertion and
- Slips/falls and trips.
Grades 6-8 – 2nd place winners; The team of Charlotte Fan and Wyatt Newbill, for their invention Terreus, a 100% biodegradable substitute for Styrofoam for 
insulation and packaging and solves the problem of microplastics which can enter human bodies through ingestion and inhalation; they are then taken up in various organs and affect one’s health by damaging cells or inducing inflammatory and immune reactions. Terreus is made from 4 simple materials that are sustainable and eco-friendly. It is strong enough to be used in packaging. As it is 100% biodegradable, it has no impact on the environment. It will not break down into harmful microplastics, so it will not kill any marine wildlife, or be ingested or inhaled by humans. There are only two main competitors to Terreus, and neither are entirely biodegradable.
Grades 9-11 – 3rd place winner: Jack Driscoll-Natale – 
for his invention H20 Monitoring For All: Solar Powered High-Frequency Water Quality Monitoring Device with Direct Continuous WiFi Data Uploading. The ability to closely monitor and analyze the health of our waterways easily, affordably, and in a timely manner is the problem my project takes on. I designed and programmed a water quality monitoring device that continuously samples for three key water health parameters and sends the monitoring data in real time to an open access website I created.
My device and website provide the public with water health data that is easily accessible, accurate, timely, low cost, and solar powered. Overall, my device and website can serve as a “canary in the water” alerting the public to real time trends and threats to water health.