During the pandemic, seventh-grader Anant Arora, from Magruder Middle School had an idea after spending so much time at home with his family. Then during a trip to India, he noticed some had unreliable access to electricity.
Anant noted, “Renewable energy like solar panels or wind turbines are expensive to buy, expensive to maintain and are reliant on weather conditions. So, I wanted to invent something that generated energy through something I could control – myself.”
Anant’s idea involved piezo electricity, which can generate electricity from pressure and movement. Piezo electricity’s delicate nature limits the amount of weight that can be put on materials using them; however, they are a reliable way to generate electricity to be stored in a battery, if used over time. Anant created a chair cushion with piezo-electric transducers underneath it, so he could generate electricity. That idea morphed into a shoe insert where he put the sensors in areas that had the most pressure under a foot when walking. After only 20 minutes of walking, he was able to add about 10% to his iPhone battery.
At last year’s Invention Convention, Anant met refinery engineer Manish Misra who was a judge. Manish offered him advice on his presentation, speaking skills and his patent. Anant advanced to regionals, where he won the Industry Sector Award, then to the State Invention Convention Competition, where he won the Industry Sector Award again, landing the Arora family in Michigan at the National Invention Convention competition. At Nationals, Anant won second place overall, participating alongside other Torrance Unified School District participants, which was the most represented district there.
Manish looks forward to judging inventions each year, “Seeing what the kids produce is so rewarding. I saw the shoe insert and I could not help but ask Anant questions and try to pick apart his invention. It was then that I realized what a fantastic idea the piezo electric sensors were. I was inspired and kept up with him and his family for the entire year.” Manish worked with the family to obtain a provisional patent and is now assisting Anant in pursuing a full patent. “This has been inspiring,” said Anant’s father. “This is the American dream. We are a first-generation family, and this competition has helped us feel welcome in the community and has given confidence to our sons that they can succeed here.”
Leslie Prieto, Magruder Middle School PTA President, and the parent of an Invention Convention participant shared her pride about Anant’s accomplishments, “On behalf of our Magruder Middle School PTSA, we are so proud of Anant for his enterprising and ambitious thinking and his determination to move forward with his invention design. Anant and the Invention Convention have contributed to leading the way for more students at Magruder to show their potential to continue inventing and sharing their ideas with our community,” said Prieto.