Invention Convention and STEM Open House

Biggest  Science Convention in Panama City

On April 28th, Gulf Coast State College and Florida State University has partnered together to host the annual Invention Convention & STEM Open House. It’s the day where every great thinker and inventor shine and share their latest marvels. Everyone showcases their inventions within FSU’s Holley Center and GCSC’s ATC building. Whatever they have created will sooner or later change our lives as we know it.

Farmbot by TechFarm

Since the entire event takes place in both GCSC and FSU, the transition from one building to another is quite the walk. The invention convention is set in two locations and it’s impossible to be present in both events. I decided to go to the one inside the ATC building at Gulf Coast. The moment I stepped inside, it was a spectacular sight seeing so many people there to see new marvels.

The Farmbot is made by a technological business named TechFarm. It’s basically an automated plant-watering machine, but with a few unique components. The Farmbot’s used to fertilize and monitor the plants, so whenever one is in need of watering, it’ll hover over it and dispense water on the designated plant. It’s scheduled when the Farmbot should water and fertilize the plants.

It’s built to monitor and water plants for you, however it does require maintenance so it doesn’t malfunction. The Farmbot will later go through several iterations; vertical farming, conveyor belt farming, anything that can prove beneficial. The main goal of the Farmbot is systematic automation, making things easier for people to manage their plants whenever they’re not around.

“Airborne” Hoverboard and Thrusterboots by Jeff Elkins

The next one’s the “Airborne” Hoverboard made by Jeff Elkins, an enthusiastic inventor that has created the invention from scratch. Although multiple iterations, he has gone through trial and error to make it fly in the air over 15 feet for five minutes. He made the hoverboard within a year, and it’s only one of the many prototypes he built.

Some of its components are made through a 3D printer, and  the joysticks are used to navigate the hoverboard while afloat in the air. The hoverboard has multiple propellers and it has a mechanism that when one goes out, it’ll somewhat stay hovering while descending down. The contraption itself is waterproof so if the user falls into a lake, the device will remain functional.

Another invention Jeff Elkins made is the Thruster Boots, and it’s much like the Airborne, but used for underwater. Used mainly for scuba diving, it’s helps divers “fly” deep into the ocean much faster than normally. The Airborne took approximately two weeks to build. Another version of the Airborne is currently in the works.

Each project is independently funded, the cost to build the Airborne is approximately $15,000 while it took nearly $1,500 to build the Thruster Boots. He has done a fantastic job in creating technological marvels that could change the way we live. We’ve waited a long time for flying cars, but if this is the equivalent for it, then the future’s looking brighter than ever.

Autonomous Irrigation System

Moving on to FSU, I’ve entered the Holly Center where a massive presentation’s going on. Along the walls are more willing inventors to share their ideas. A student named Brandon has created an invention known as the Autonomous Irrigation System, and it waters your plants by checking the soil moisture.

There’s a small prong that emits a circuit to monitor the moisture. If the soil’s dry, the computer will notify you if it needs water. Then the little LED comes on and activates the pump to pour water into the pot.

It’s a small, but neat device that helps personal gardeners monitor their plants. Whenever they’re at work or away from home, gardeners won’t have to worry about watering their plants for the Autonomous Irrigation System does it for you.

Conclusion

The Invention Convention houses many spectacular creations from each side. It’s great to see many people come together to share what they’ve create to revolutionize the way we live. I’m glad they’re able to step into the limelight to show what they’ve built.

Many that I’ve seen are fantastic and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. Each student and inventor has great potential in changing the future. The imagination and the determination are catalysts in creating something grand, and I embrace the new inventions of tomorrow.

Back then, we all wanted flying cars, robots, automatic doors, teleportation pods, and time-traveling machines. Work of science fiction has inspired many to accomplish what many assume to be impossible. Although some like teleport pods and time-travel is out of our grasp, we’re inching ever closer to a potential breakthrough. What I’d like to see is an invention that can see dreams of another person for psychological and medical reasons. Nothing’s truly impossible if one puts their mind into it, and it’s never too late to accomplish the unthinkable.

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