Where Are They Now? Invention Award Winners From Years Past

We've had dozens of Invention Award winners over the years, and we found ourselves wondering: what's going on with some of those past winners? We tracked down five of our favorites to find out their current statuses.

2008: Composite Beams
Extra-strong bridge support
“Last summer we opened the Knickerbocker Bridge in Maine, the longest composite bridge in the world at 540 feet.”— John Hillman

2009: Vegawatt
Waste-cooking-oil power station
“We have shipped 20 systems. My alma mater, Rensselaer Polytechnic, purchased one. I am sure the residents sleep well knowing that their electricity and hot water are derived from the burgers and fries they had for dinner.”— James Peret

2009: Ripsaw
60mph unmanned tank
“The Ripsaw has been bought by the U.S. Army and is seeing use in the field to defeat IEDs.”—Mike Howe

2010: Soundbite
Tooth-mounted hearing aid
“We received FDA clearance in early 2011 and launched commercially in October. Hundreds of patients are using the product right now.”— Jason Shelton

2010: Groasis Waterboxx
Planter that works in the desert
“We are shipping to more than 30 countries now and expect to produce and sell about 250,000 boxes in 2012.”— Pieter Hoff

The Other 2012 Invention Awards Winners Are...

• A Spring-Loaded Ice Skate
• A Mister for Firefighters
• A Modular Cast
• An Assisted-Walking Device With Senses
• A Recirculating Shower
• A Higher-Efficiency, Lower-Emission Engine System
• An Inflatable Tourniquet
• A Better Lobster Trap
• A Simple Helicopter Engine
• Augmented-Reality Contact Lenses
• Where Are They Now? Winners From Past Years