"Team Ruby" Runner-Up in Project Invent
Crystal’s Project Invent "Team Ruby” was one of three runner-up teams awarded a $500 grant for their invention at Project Invent’s Demo Day in April. Nine West Coast teams in total presented their socially-oriented inventions before a Zoom audience of over 200...
...and were judged by a panel of VCs and industry leaders. The Demo Day would have taken place at Adobe HQ in San Jose for West Coast teams and in NYC for East Coast teams. Crystal students, Sylvia C. ‘21, Benjamin A. ‘21, Shuvam C. ‘21, and Chris L. ‘21, rose to the challenge of not being able to attend in person and presented their pitch virtually*.
The Demo Day was the culmination of a year-long process under the guidance of Joel Voelz, US Micro-Economics and Finance/Statistics Teacher, in which the team interviewed a person affected by some disability or challenge and then developed a product that uses technology to make their quality of life better.
Team Ruby’s community partner Lisa Weiner suffers from Charcot Marie Tooth and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which make daily tasks, such as tying shoes, difficult. Their device adjusts lacings electronically and can be used on any type of lace-up shoe. The name Ruby is inspired by Dorothy’s famous ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz, and the device literally allows a disabled person to click their heels and have their shoe laces tied for them in preparation for their next adventure!
*Check out their presentation (Crystal's "Team Ruby" presentation starts at 1:05:14 and the awards ceremony at 2:24:23.)