The Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams Odyssey

The “Laser Finger,” the Palo Alto (Cal.) High School team’s head-mounted remote control intended for use by quadriplegics

This week is the Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams Odyssey, an annual program showcasing some of the coolest inventions you'll see anywhere. The twist is that all the brilliant inventors behind them are still in high school. Teams of students received grants of up to $10,000 last fall to develop a prototype intended to solve a problem of their choosing.  Check out some of the kids showing off the fruits of their labor above and in our slideshow—just in case you needed a reminder of how you wasted four years of your life.—Doug Cantor