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Since Tech Briefs magazine launched the Create the Future Design contest in 2002 to recognize and reward engineering innovation, over 15,000 design ideas have been submitted by engineers, students, and entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries. Join the innovators who dared to dream big by entering your ideas today.

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Special Report spotlights the eight top entries in 2023 as well as past winners whose ideas are now in the market, making a difference in the world.

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A ‘Create the Future’ Winner Featured on ‘Here’s an Idea’

Spinal cord injury affects 17,000 Americans and 700,000 people worldwide each year. A research team at NeuroPair, Inc. won the Grand Prize in the 2023 Create the Future Design Contest for a revolutionary approach to spinal cord repair. In this Here’s an Idea podcast episode, Dr. Johannes Dapprich, NeuroPair’s CEO and founder, discusses their groundbreaking approach that addresses a critical need in the medical field, offering a fast and minimally invasive solution to a long-standing problem.

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Thank you from our Sponsors

“At COMSOL, we are very excited to recognize innovators and their important work this year. We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Create the Future Design Contest, which is an excellent platform for designers to showcase their ideas and products in front of a worldwide audience. Best of luck to all participants!”

— Bernt Nilsson, Senior Vice President of Marketing, COMSOL, Inc.

“From our beginnings, Mouser has supported engineers, innovators and students. We are proud of our longstanding support for the Create the Future Design Contest and the many innovations it has inspired.”

— Kevin Hess, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Mouser Electronics

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Renewable Energy Remote Power Station

Votes: 7
Views: 8144

Our product is an Energy Accumulator, Storage and Rapid Transfer System (ET) that conserves natural resources and improves quality of life. It is an efficient system, proven feasible under a DOE grant with The Florida Solar Energy Center. It sources wind, solar, fuel cell and/or grid energy and is an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).

Utilizing multiple energy sources in combination we provide 24/7 Microgrid power distribution. Electricity is generated, stored and utilized on-site, rather than requiring connection to a Macrogrid, though we can funnel excess power into the grid.

Our design solves the problems of high-polluting power plants and reduces the length of transmission lines and energy losses. The novel ideas to source locally harvested renewables, incorporate patent-pending designs, and use advanced storage mediums that allow rapid recharging differentiates our system from others.

ET’s applications include recharging Electric Vehicles, trains and equipment, and electrification of homes, businesses and areas off the grid.

Potential benefits include cleaner air and a reduction of fossil fuel usage. The units can supply emergency backup electricity or be mounted on trucks for rapid deployment. Local facilities will mass produce ET stations to keep production costs low. It is a pioneering energy system that will create green jobs and increase U.S. manufacturing.

Clean energy is the fastest growing segment of the $6 trillion global energy market. Renewable consumption rose 5% and its market share was 8% of the total U.S. consumption in 2009. Renewables also supplied roughly 10% of the electricity used. The expanding market offers a promising growth opportunity for our ET to be a new clean energy export product. Being well advanced over existing systems and a stand-alone unit improves its marketability, especially in countries with an inadequate grid network.

Our design incorporates the latest technology in energy generation, electronic circuitry, processors, and programmable controllers coupled with advanced storage mediums (Ultracapacitors (Ucaps) and batteries) to accumulate power from multiple sources. The potential power availability when marrying multiple Ucaps with batteries will adequately satisfy the needs of multiple users.

The Automated Intelligent System uses a Transverter to measure and record input, output and usage data and has low internal resistance for an almost lossless energy exchange. It is monitored and controlled off-site and is self-correcting to supply extremely reliable power. To increase power transfer between Ucaps we use an Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) in place of a transformer, rectifier and other components.

An ET can accommodate both AC and DC input or outputs and converts it depending on the desired usage. It also has two types of output; constant and high pulse, and it can charge multiple devices at once.

The ET improves public health and safety because the power supply is sheltered from weather or vandalism in a protective module, power generating equipment is mounted above ground, and it has zero carbon footprint.

Through ongoing innovative research we continually provide sustainable energy solutions.

Voting

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Karl Guenther
  • Type of entry:
    team
    Team members:
    Sky Train Corporation
    Karl Guenther
    Dan Simpson
    Doug Tobin
    Kim Wood
    Francis Knize
    George Taylor
    Hector Guevara, PhD/NuEnergy Technologies Corp.
    Bill Young Florida Solar Energy Center at the University of Central Florida FSEC/UCF
    William Wilson /UCF/FSEC
    Heart Akerson/Heart Transverter
  • Profession:
    Engineer/Designer
  • Number of times previously entering contest:
    4
  • Karl's favorite design and analysis tools:
    We currently use AutoCAD & BobCAD design software. We have been working with universities, specically with The University of Central Florida's Florida Solar Energy Center and utilizing data logger and other instrumentation for analysis.
  • For managing CAD data Karl's company uses:
    None
  • Karl's hobbies and activities:
    Transit system & energy R&D
  • Karl belongs to these online communities:
    LinkedIn, Drop Box, Skype, FaceBook
  • Karl is inspired by:
    I have a personal joy and commitment to improving options for public transportation, reducing carbon fuel usage and creating efficient electric transit systems. Also, to developing renewable energy technologies to provide advanced storage and transfer capabilities. Technology sharing with universities, like USF, UCF/FSEC, FIT & IIT and partner companies continuously spurs creative new ideas. For more information see Websites and www.SkyTrainCorp.com
  • Software used for this entry:
    AutoCAD, PowerPoint
  • Patent status:
    pending