2011 RISD Nanovation Winners Announced

Advancements in nanotechnology may one day save your life by improving safety in your car, providing water in the desert, or protecting firefighters in a burning building. The Rhode Island School of Design announced the winners of the 2011 Nanovation Prize, a competition that encourages design innovation made possible through nanotechnology. This year’s winners ranged from smarter crash test dummies to an innovative water harvesting system for arid climates.

The Nanovation Prize is designed to promote awareness of nano-scale science amongst design students. The top judged entry receives a cash award as well as help to further develop their invention toward commercialization. Laila Aukee, this year’s winner, envisioned a new coating for crash test dummies that uses microencapsulation technology to show bodily injury more effectively than existing technologies. An Honorable Mention went to Colette Bazirgan, who developed a water harvesting system patterned with hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions to draw moisture from the air in arid climates, and Megan Yuen received a Citation for firefighting gear tailored to be lighter and easier to move in while providing greater heat and impact protection.

Read more about the winners here.