Congratulations to Our 2025 Grand Prize and First Place Winners!
Imersiv, a breakthrough technology that improves audio performance by 100X compared to today’s very best audio equipment for applications ranging from sound engineering to space missions to medical imaging, was named the $25,000 grand prize winner at a live finalist round held November 7 in New York. Click here for the full list of winners. Also see the Top 100 highest scoring entries. Special thanks to our esteemed panel of judges.
Help build a better tomorrow
Since Tech Briefs magazine launched the Create the Future Design contest in 2002 to recognize and reward engineering innovation, over 16,000 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 in our 2026 contest opening March 1.
Read About All the 2024 Winning Inventions
Special Report spotlights the eight amazing winners in 2024 as well as honorable mentions in each category, plus the top ten most popular entries as voted by our community.
Click here to read moreA ‘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.
Listen nowThank 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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Contest
Mohammad Abdulazeem
Manager, Senior Service Support
Rich Abraham
Eng Dev Mgr.,
Kevin Alderman
Heat Treat Engineer
Malath Arar
Staff Engineer
Dean Barker
Eric Barnes
Senior Technical Fellow
Richard Berger
Thermal SIE - Full Size Truck
Joseph Bogusky
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Leonid Bunegin
Chief Innovation Office
Earl Capozzi
Discipline Chief
Sabin Carpiuc
Principal Physical Modeling Engineer
Miguel Castillo
VP Technology Development
Federico Cindolo
Director of Research
Paul Cottey
Founder and CEO
Jeff Crompton
Chief Technology Officer,
Fernando Da Mota Lopes Junior
Mechanical Engineer
Johannes Dapprich
CEO
Brian Dengel
General Manager
Jon Fifield
Chief Engineer
Mitch Finne
Engineering Director
Inma Galvez
Supply Chain Quality Manager
Bhaskar Gopalanarayanan
Technology Portfolio Architect
Farhan Hanif
Jesus Hernandez
Functional Validation Manager
David Hosey
Staff Engineer
Lyle Jalbert
Senior Systems Engineer
David Jorde
Development Consultant
Tomasz Kawala
Technical Specialist, Electronics Design
Andreas Klemm
Corporate Director Sustainability Reporting
Bharath Konda
Product Marketing Manager
Patrick Krueger
Senior Manager Manufacturing Engineering
Joseph Lipman
Director of Device Development
Jose G.Mercado-Rojas
Associate Professor
Arunachalam Nagarajan
Engineering Senior Manager
Neno Novakovic
Senior Principal Engineer
James Nowicki
Science Fellow, Product Development
Stephen Osborne
Director of Engineering
Anilkumar Pandit
Senior Consulting Engineer
Jay Paster
Electronics Engineer
Marek Piechocinski
MEMS Design Engineer
Antonio Quintieri
Principal Engineer
Rohit Ramnath
Senior Product Engineer
Thalesh Ranganathan
Senior Hardware Applications Engineer
Scott Rishell
Application Engineering Director
Marc Rosenmayr
Advisor
Gary Sera
Director Emeritus
Ek Leng Sioh
Director, Engineering
Susan Stanton
Partner, Redwood Innovation Partners
Mike Stokes
Principal Design Engineer
Samson Stoll
Systems Engineer
Adnan Turkey
Senior Professor, Engineering
Torbjorn Virdung
Technical Leader, CFD
William Wells
Control System Engineer
Puck Yan
Principal Professional Staff
The following entries received the highest overall scores from the panel of judges.
They are listed in alphabetical order by title.
100X Audio Digital-to-Analog Performance Improvement
2D Graphene For CMOS Fusing Interconnects
A 3D Microfluidics-Based Rapid, Low-Cost Predictive Diagnosis Platform for TB
A Hybrid Detection System for Low-Latency Automotive Vision with Event Cameras
A New Extended-Release Formulation of Naltrexone to Treat Addiction Disorders
A New Method for Designing Extrusion Profile Dies
A Reconfigurable UAV Platform Featuring Quick-Change Wing System for Multi-Mission Flexibility (private entry)
A Triple-Layer Battery Resistant to Fire and Explosion
Advanced Modular Cryocooler Recuperator
Aerial Vehicle for Stratospheric Deployment of Orbital Insertion Rockets (private entry)
AeroCapture - The Self-Cleaning Wheel System for Zero Particulate Emissions
AI Based Autonomous Swarm Robots for Warehouse Management Using OpenCV
AI-Powered Utensils for Precision Nutrition Tracking
AI-Powered Vehicle Turn Tracking for Smart Intersection Analytics
Algae-Derived Dielectric Bionanocomposite for Green Electronics
All-in-One CubeSat 1U Development Board for Attitude Control and Mission Prototyping (private entry)
An Automated Lunar Resource Extractor
Any-Fuel Pulse Detonation Engine for Hybrids and Drones
ATLAS-seq: A Microfluidic Single-Cell TCR Screen for Antigen-Reactive TCRs (private entry)
Binder Injection Additive Manufacturing
Bio-Composite Self-Healing Manufacturing Substrate (BSHMS)
CabiBUS Robo Shared Taxi, RoboStaxi
Climate Cleansing System (CCS): Energy-Efficient Air Quality for Space and Defense
Closed-Loop Control of Heliostats in Concentrating Solar Power
Cognitive Performance Optimization using RoboTrust (private entry)
DESWAI - Revolutionary Electrochemical Brine Treatment System
Detachable Motor System for Skateboards
DOWSILTM TC-6040 Thermally Conductive Encapsulant
dSLAM: Noninvasive Imaging Platform that Penetrates Deeper into Living Tissue
Dual Adaptive Propeller System
Edge AI Module for Real-Time Anomaly Detection in Devices
Elastic Energy (private entry)
Electro-Oxidative Wastewater Treatment and Coupled Hydrogen Generation Using PFAS as a Test Case
Fast Dynamic Laser Beam Combining and Shaping for Generating Flat-Top Beams
Ferrocement Adaptive Optic Heliostat
Flexible Multilayered Ceramics
HexaRev: Redefining the Future of Driver-in-the-Loop Simulation
HexSense: Ballistically Deployed Wireless Sensor Nodes for Future Planetary in-situ Explorations
High-Assurance Parsers for Industrial PLC Software (private entry)
High-Entropy Sodium-Ion Battery: A Sustainable, Scalable, and Safe Energy Storage Solution
Hydromask (private entry)
HyperCore: The Universal Hardware Revolution Platform Democratizing Global Innovation
Hypersonic Launch Featuring Propellant Capture with Suppressed Acoustic and Heat Signature
Innovating Hydroponic Production Systems in Urban Vertical Agriculture
Insulative Ceramic Particle™ (ICP) Technology
IQSat: World’s First AI-Enabled PicoSat
La Secretaire – A Voice-Activated AI Productivity Agent for Email and Scheduling Automation
Low Loss Dielectric for High-Speed Signals at Full Ocean Depth
LuminWalk – A Light-Based Virtual Tactile Paving System for Inclusive Navigation
Made of Reclaimed Fibers (MoRF) Materials (private entry)
Making Diesel Engines Nearly Emission-Free
Metabolite Monitoring for Diabetes in High-Risk Populations
mPancreas: AI-Driven Wearable Bioartificial Pancreas for Next-Gen Glycemic Control
Multifunctional Laser-Structured Surfaces (private entry)
Nanoenergetic Multi-Thruster Cartridges for Scalable Space Propulsion
Opposed Piston Facing Heads Internal Combustion Engine, Compact Design
Origami-Inspired Ceramic Structures- A Paradigm Shift for Brittle Materials
Patient-Specific Prediction of Consequences Following Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Permanent, On-Board Engine Starting Power Source, Battery Replacement or Supplement
PigPug Health - AI-Powered Neurofeedback Solution for Kids with ADHD and ASD
Plastalyst - Chemical Recycling
Polymer Fusion Labeling – Solving the Global Labeling Crisis for Durable Polyolefin Products
Port Cylinder Deactivation Technology
Power Activated Technology for Conductor Healing
Power From the People: Electric Curbside EV Charging
Precision Lattice Thermal Interface Material
PREDICTIVE Modeling Framework to Accelerate Advanced Engine Combustion Development (private entry)
Printable Low Bondline Thermal Gel for High-Performance Computing (private entry)
REACT®: Automated Capsule Recycling Technology for a Circular Coffee Industry
Revolutionizing Climate Tech Building Envelopes with Power Integration
Roden: Redesigning the Bicycle, Open to All
Rugged Tactical Direct RF System for Next-Generation Electronic Warfare (private entry)
Silent Sentry: A Software-Defined Passive Sensor for Counter-Stealth and Battlefield Survivability
Smart Linear Actuator with Optical Feedback for High-Precision Motion Control
Solar100: A Concept for a Carbon Cycle Economy
SpectraBoost Full‑Duplex 5G HDL IP Core
SynStride-Wearable FES System for Postural Kyphosis and Fall Risk Reduction in Aging Populations
Textured Alkali Metals for Boosting Next Generation Energy Storage
ThermoLock™ — Field-Applied Heat Shielding for High-Risk Operations
TPoxy™ | Marine Edition — Hull Coating for Efficient, Faster, Cleaner Maritime Transport
Trifecta Energy Harvesting System
Ultra-Efficient Hydrogen Combustion for Clean, Distributed Power and Propulsion
VoidBrick™ — A Climate-Ready, Energy-Saving Alternative to Concrete Blocks
Wear- and Corrosion-Resistant Surface Coating for Hard Chrome Replacement
GRAND PRIZE
100X Audio Digital-to-Analog Performance Improvement
John La Grou, imersiv, Diamond Springs, CA, USA
AEROSPACE & DEFENSE CATEGORY
Silent Sentry: A Software-Defined Passive Sensor for Counter-Stealth and Battlefield Survivability
Robert Moerck, MOEWERS Aps, Værløse, Denmark
Honorable Mention – Aerospace & Defense Category
Advanced Modular Cryocooler Recuperator
Ebube Nwobodo, Innov8Hub, Abjuja, Nigeria
Any-Fuel Pulse Detonation Engine for Hybrids and Drones
Sky Huddleston, Mark Cherry, and Phillip Huddleston, Liberator LLC/Eternal Engines, Bourbon, MS, USA
Hypersonic Launch Featuring Propellant Capture with Suppressed Acoustic and Heat Signature
Eric Robinson and Rob Fryer, Green Launch Inc., Edmond, OK, USA
ThermoLock™ — Field-Applied Heat Shielding for High-Risk Operations
Voraya Jirawatcharakorn, VoidTech Studio, Bangkok, Thailand
AUTOMOTIVE/TRANSPORTATION CATEGORY
Making Diesel Engines Nearly Emission-Free
Mansour Masoudi and Nick Poliakov, Emissol LLC, Mill Creek, WA, USA
Honorable Mention – Automotive/Transportation Category
A Hybrid Detection System for Low-Latency Automotive Vision with Event Cameras
Daniel Gehrig and Davide Scaramuzza, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Opposed Piston Facing Heads Internal Combustion Engine, Compact Design
Carlos Juni, Two Heads LLC, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Power From the People: Electric Curbside EV Charging
Tiya Gordon, it’s electric, Brooklyn, NY, USA
AeroCapture - The Self-Cleaning Wheel System for Zero Particulate Emissions
Abdulhafeez S, Klang, Malaysia
ELECTRONICS CATEGORY
Plastalyst - Chemical Recycling
Robert Kunzmann, Tadashi Kubo, Hesperange, Luxembourg
Honorable Mention – Electronics Category
LuminWalk – A Light-Based Virtual Tactile Paving System for Inclusive Navigation
Khoo Boon Sheng, Nur Azman Azlee, Klang, Malaysia
2D Graphene for CMOS Fusing Interconnects
Anthony Bellezza, Parkesburg, PA, USA
Algae-Derived Dielectric Bionanocomposite for Green Electronics
Muhammad M Rahman, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
AuraGuard 5G‑ISAC System-on-Chip: Pioneering Unified Gesture‑Safety Intelligence for Next‑Gen Human‑Cobot Collaboration
Tai Vo, Synopsys, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
ENERGY, POWER & PROPULSION CATEGORY
Ultra-Efficient Hydrogen Combustion for Clean, Distributed Power and Propulsion
John Krzeminski, Alpha-Otto Technologies, Fenton, MI, USA
Honorable Mention – Energy, Power & Propulsion Category
DESWAI - Revolutionary Electrochemical Brine Treatment System
Dan Ovidiu Cirjan, Water Décor SRL, Breaza, Romania
Revolutionizing Climate Tech Building Envelopes with Power Integration
Jan Thoren, NanoArchitech Inc., Gilroy, CA, USA
Trifecta Energy Harvesting System
Mike Johnson, Electretek, Greeneville, TN, USA
A Triple-Layer Battery Resistant to Fire and Explosion
Jae Hyun Kim, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea
MANUFACTURING & MATERIALS CATEGORY
REACT®: Automated Capsule Recycling Technology for a Circular Coffee Industry
Eduardo Perez Martinez, Recycap Technologies, Madrid, Spain
Honorable Mention – Manufacturing & Materials Category
Polymer Fusion Labeling – Solving the Global Labeling Crisis for Durable Polyolefin Products
Matthew Stevenson, Polyfuze Graphics® Corporation, Clarkdale, AZ, USA
Elastic Energy (private entry)
Samuel Bendek, Juliana Bendek, Nicolas Caldas, Carlos Pino, and Jessica Castellano, Elastic Energy, Baltimore, MD, USA
MELD Manufacturing 3PO
Nanci Hardwick, Chase Cox, and Kailey Harvey, MELD Manufacturing Corporation, Christianburg, VA, USA
Bio-Composite Self-Healing Manufacturing Substrate (BSHMS)
Parveshh Prabhu, Vellore Institute of Technology, Bangalore, India
MEDICAL CATEGORY
Blood Viscosity: The Next Vital Sign – A Wearable Breakthrough in Trauma, Sepsis, and Vascular Health
Nilesh Salvi and Jinglu Tan, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
Honorable Mention – Medical Category
dSLAM: Noninvasive Imaging Platform that Penetrates Deeper into Living Tissue
Kunzan Liu, Honghao Cao, Linda Griffith, and Sixian You, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
A 3D Microfluidics-based Rapid, Low-cost Predictive Diagnosis Platform for TB
Abizar Lakdawalla and Brett Anderson, Proxeom, Edmonds, WA, USA
Bioresorbable Ureteral Stent
Eswara GR, Subhikssha B, and Joyce Angel Jayakumar, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Erode, India
Patient-Specific Prediction of Consequences Following Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Algis Dziugys, Vytautas Petkus, Edgaras Misiulis, Vytenis Ratkunas, Robertas Alzbutasr, Aidanas Preiksaitis, and Tomas Iesmantas, Lithuanian Energy Institute, Kaunas, Lithuania
ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION CATEGORY
Woodpeckr
Christian Sforza, Nadine Oliynyk, Tyler West, and Brandon Ko, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Honorable Mention – Robotics & Automation Category
Fungal-Controlled Biohybrid Robots for Distributed Sensing, Autonomous Control, and Environmental Intelligence
Anand Mishra, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
Low Loss Dielectric for High-Speed Signals at Full Ocean Depth
Cal Peters, Winchester Interconnect CM CA, San Marcos, CA, USA
Smart Linear Actuator with Optical Feedback for High-Precision Motion Control
Troy Cognata, DTL International, Cody, WY, USA
High-Assurance Parsers for Industrial PLC Software (private entry)
Chris Mikulski, US Army DEVCOM GVSC, Warren, MI, USA
TOP TEN MOST POPULAR ENTRIES
Electro-Oxidative Wastewater Treatment and Coupled Hydrogen Generation Using PFAS as a Test Case
Okechukwu Nwamba, David Aston, and Jean’ne Shreeve, AquaPot Tech LLC, Lakewood, CO, USA
Modrive: Magnet-Free High Torque Motor
Almat Salgarin, American Motor KZ LLC, Sunny Isles Beach, FL, USA
Apexzlink Multimodal Logistics Marketplace Platform
Ezra Okorie, Abuja, Nigeria
Ecological Jet Engine / Zero-Emission Aviation Turbines
Luis Felipe De Freitas Romero, Madrid, Spain
Next-Gen Smart Wheelchair: Revolutionizing Accessibility, Safety, and Health Monitoring
Srinatheesh S, Ashwin K, and Arunkumar R, SRI Sairam Institute of Technology, West Tambaram Chennai, India
TranslAItor: Real-time Translation for Multilingual Conversations
Massimo Plavsic, Veljko Massimo Plavsic, Ravenna, Italy
Encapsulated Algicidal Microbial Consortium for Targeted Control of Harmful Algal Blooms
Mohanavel Parameswaran, Ilamparithi M, Bavyaa SP, and Anusha S, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Erode, India
Green Nanoparticle-Based Approach to Increasing Secondary Metabolite Yield in Medicinal Plants
Oviyaa Baskaran, Balaji V, Tharun Balaji RS, and Sarveshwaran S, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam, India
3D Bioprinting of Bone Scaffold Matrix for Regeneration
Jitesh M, Manikandan M, Harish Ram S, and Harani T, Coimbatore, India
Conceptual Development of Multistage Electromagnetic Gearing System for Vehicle Drive Train Application
Garbe Chukulu, ASTU, Adama, Ethiopia
The Objectal Personality: Toward a New Class of Autonomous Objects in the Service of Sustainability using embedded RFID for both infrastructural and external communication as an interobject exchange type modus.
The present innovation describes the concept of objectal personality, implemented within a class of autonomous, interconnected objects organized into an RFID mesh network, analogous to the IoT model,
The Amphibious Tent is a fully inflatable, rigid-free structure designed for recreational, educational, and emergency use in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. Its circular architecture and lightweight configuration make it suitable for rapid deployment and multi-purpose activities, while its advanced stabilization system ensures safety and functionality in varied terrain and weather conditions.
Summary: This low SWaP-C electronic sextent is a vital tool for commercial shipping vessels and airliners as a backup or co-sensor to navigate in regions with disrupted GPS signal. As long as the sky is clear, this device provides continuous position estimation of < 1 nautical mile on a moving platform anywhere in the world.
Magnetic Bioimplants represent an innovative biomedical engineering solution designed to significantly improve orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation outcomes. This novel technology leverages passive implants—neodymium magnets encapsulated within biocompatible titanium shells—which utilize magnetic repulsion between identically polarized implants. Unlike conventional solutions,
The Water Jet Direct Seeding System introduces a groundbreaking technological approach to agriculture, designed to enhance planting efficiency and sustainability. This innovative solution eliminates the mechanical components traditionally used in planting equipment, such as discs and metal blades, and replaces them entirely with high-pressure water jets, similar to those employed in industrial applications for precision cutting.
This is designed for Medical Wearables, Screen-Printed thin film heaters, Solar thin film cells, Perovskite on PET film, 5&6 G antenna arrays etched onto clear glass or clear thin film. It is designed specifically to spread heat while providing high dielectric insulation all while conforming to the human body without the wearer perceiving its presence.
The Twin Terrain Mobility Tactical Vehicle (TTMTV) is a futuristic solution to the mobility restrictions of tracked vehicles (a.k.a. tanks) experienced in the Defense industry. It is generally known that wheeled vehicles lose traction in terrains such as mud, sand and snow. Tracked vehicles do much better on these terrains. However, tracked vehicles are incompatible with paved surfaces,
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