• A new exhaust system that could greatly reduce the level of toxins released by lawn and farm equipment, which make up a surprisingly large percentage of overall hydrocarbon emissions.
  
• A portable medical rescue device that could be administered by emergency medical personnel to pump oxygenated blood to a patient’s brain during transportation to a hospital, reducing the risk of brain damage from oxygen deprivation.
  
• A method of splitting water into its component gases to provide an oxyhydrogen fuel gas that is far more efficient than current techniques. Water from almost any source could be used to power internal combustion engines, welding torches, and cooking stoves, among other applications.
  
• An insulation system designed to deflect solar radiation from the roofs of concrete houses, which can reach temperatures of 180°F in tropical climates, making it impossible for air conditioners to remove the incoming heat. The carbon dioxide emission reduction from every device installed would be equivalent to removing one car from the road.
  
• An inexpensive method of using a swarm of autonomous, solar-powered robots to eliminate the human risk involved in land mine detection and greatly expedite the land mine removal process across the globe.
  
• A high-tech walking cane with the ability to lead the user to his or her desired location using voice recognition software and global positioning system (GPS) technology. By verbally entering a physical address into the system, a user activates the cane’s GPS system, which then leads them in the direction of the location.
  
• A fire suppression system with the ability to detect fire, monitor changes, and control the system’s response based on fluctuating variables.
  
• A technique to wash clothes that uses ultrasonic cleaning, centrifugal filtration, and ultraviolet sterilization to clean clothes using less than half the water, one-tenth the electricity, and scarce amounts of detergents compared to current typical laundry techniques. Clothes washing currently represents nearly a quarter of the United States’ water usage and a fifth of all energy use.
  
  

“Ideas submitted by this semester’s Change the World Challenge winners tackled complex issues including environmental sustainability, fire safety, and energy security,” said Chernow. “Solving the complex challenges of the 21st century will take innovation, inspiration, and dedication. Through their inventive, socially responsible designs, our students have proven that they have what it takes to make a difference on a global scale. I look forward to watching their ideas continue to develop.” 

The Change the World Challenge was created in 2005 by Rensselaer alumnus and entrepreneur Sean O’Sullivan ’85. O’Sullivan earned a B.S. in electrical engineering from Rensselaer, and was a founder and the first president of MapInfo, a global software company headquartered in Troy, N.Y. He has started a number of other companies and organizations, including JumpStart International, an engineering humanitarian organization headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.