Cade Albert, Josiah Humphries, Aaro Mackey, Noah Skutley 

Archeological Auto Sifter

Their idea is a super easy-to-use, portable, automatic sifter for archaeologists. They have a working prototype; however, it uses a different method of shaking than what we will describe here, simply because this mechanism provides superior simplicity and is better overall. It will have interchangeable mesh trays for different-sized artifacts. It will use off-center rotating discs to bump the mesh tray forward, then the springs will push it back. This setup will create a powerful shaking to effectively sift through the contents. It will have a large removable lid on the bottom so the dirt can effectively escape with the assistance of gravity, to eliminate frequent emptying. The sifter will be on 4 retractable legs so dirt can practically pile under it.

Jett Wonderlich

iSump

My idea is a sump pump, a pump used to remove stagnant water, that solves the problems of Alaskan sump pumps. My family has spent over $1,000 on sump pumps that cracked overnight due to cold temperatures. That is the primary issue that my pump will solve. The first subproblem I looked to tackle was the main body freezing while full of water. The solution is simple: keep the pump on a float so it is always near the surface, and then lift the pump up by an inch or two when it freezes to remove it from the water and clear out any water remaining inside. The second subproblem is the hose cracking with water inside during freezing temperatures. It uses many small tubes and pushes air down each one, allowing it to clear out any stagnant water remaining just before freezing, in technical terms, a tube manifold for purging water using air. It predicts freezing by analyzing outside temperatures. This full purge routine is done after a power failure using a built-in battery. The final subproblem is the pumps clogging. Through the use of multiple pumps, one pump can push water through the other and unclog it. The full system looks like one or more normal sump pumps, and some method of pumping air, feeding a valve system that connects to many smaller tubes used to transport the bulk of the water. This could be powered by standard AC, or 12-volt lines, allowing for remote area usage.

Sarah Keobouala, Alyx Gamboa, Lisa Vaivai

Somnia

In rural Alaska, it can take hours or even days to locate downed power lines, especially during heavy snow and harsh weather. This delay puts lives at risk when people lose access to heat, communication, and other essentials. This idea proposes an automated alert system that attaches to power poles and activates when a line goes down. Like a fire alarm, the device would flash and display “no power,” while also notifying the utility company immediately. This system could dramatically cut response times and improve safety in remote communities.

Grail Conley

Atmospheric Water Extraction Solar or Minimal Electric (AWESOME)

Water is essential for life and has even been called a human right by the United Nations. And yet, more than 6% of Alaskans live without access to running water. This is the highest rate of any state in the nation. Part of the problem in Alaska is that plumbing is complicated by harsh winter weather and difficult terrain like permafrost. Many people haul water, but that is not an option for elders or people with disabilities. Gran proposes using new technologies to generate water from the air inside people’s homes.

Although it may sound like science fiction, “atmospheric water generators” have been used to extract water from the air for more than 100 years. Early examples were very inefficient and used a lot of energy. More recent systems use solar or minimal amounts of electricity to produce water, even in dry environments like interior Alaska. They pull water into special sponges made from gels, salts, metal-organic frameworks, or plant materials. The water can then be captured for personal use.

A race to make and sell these technologies is currently happening among academic teams and private businesses. It is in Alaska’s best interest to join with these technology leaders and make high-efficiency atmospheric water extraction available to rural Alaska.

Kourtney Bogart

The Warmiquin

Kourtney’s idea is the Warmequin. It is a mannequin that you can put your outdoor gear on, especially a parka, that will warm your gear and have a fan to dry everything all at once like gloves, hat, snowpants, and parka. It is like a boot dryer but will not ruin your parka. While air blows out, it will have a scent that you can pick, and it will blow out with the air and make your parka not have a gross odor smell.

Jaxson Redmond

The Frassonator

When Jaxson was younger, he always wanted an ant farm. He’d see them in the toy area of Fred Meyer or at Toy Quest, but never got one. He loved hunting bugs of all kinds in the woods. In the meantime, Jaxson learned all about the worldwide plastic problem. He has been working on the problem of single-use plastic and its effects on the environment for 5 years. “I made my first frassonator when I was 8 to help me with my experiments. I brought the prototype to AIC 4 years ago, but the competition was very stiff, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I presented it as a countertop solution to plastic waste. Since then, I have improved my design and think it is a start on a solution to the plastic waste problem but it is more than that. It is a modern day ant farm with a purpose. The purpose is to help eliminate plastic in the environment. The fun is watching it on your desk. Besides being very environmentally friendly, it is also educational. I will hopefully market a book about my findings on mealworms and how interesting they are. I have lots of ideas for the entertainment part of this. It includes ladders, balls, and other interesting objects that are made of plastic that the worms can eat and "play" on. Worms eating plastic, what could be better!”