By Sierrah Agustin, Research Team Member
The world belongs to those who shape it. And however uncertain that world may feel at a given moment, the reassuring reality seems to be that each new generation produces kids that have achieved and positively impacted the world in all sizes.
Gitanjali Rao is no stranger to inventing, conducting research, and undertaking projects to make the world a better place.
Inventor and student scientist Gitanjali Rao was TIME’s 2020 Kid of the Year and in Forbes 30 under 30 in 2017 after inventing a lead detecting device at the age of 13 called Tethys. Deriving from the Greek Titan goddess of clean water, the patented device is a 3D-printed box that contains a battery, Bluetooth and carbon nanotubes. Tethy’s key component lies within the carbon nanotube. Carbon atoms link together in a beehive shape and connect to create a tube — a nanotube. The carbon nanotubes are treated with chloride ions that can respond to changes in the electron flow. If there is lead in the water, the lead sticks to the chloride ions, creating resistance. Tethys measures that resistance, and sends the data to a smartphone app to give the status of lead in water.
Such an invention was motivated by the Flint water crisis. Lead seepage into the drinking water in Flint, Michigan, caused a massive public health crisis and prompted President Obama to declare a federal state of emergency.The crisis began when the city switched its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River in 2014. Almost immediately, residents of Flint started complaining about the quality of the water. Supply pipes had sustained major corrosion and lead was leaching into the water. The city switched back to its original water supply in 2015, but it was too late to reverse the damage to the pipes. The biggest challenges lied replacing outdated infrastructure but Rao realized that people needed better options for testing water, as well.
Rao who is now 18-years old attending MIT as a freshman student is also the author of two books: A Young Inventor’s Guide to STEM: 5 Steps to Problem Solving for Students, Educators, and Parents, which is currently available worldwide in five languages, and A Young Innovators Guide to Planning For Success, coming out in June 2024.
To learn more about Tethys, take a look at this video!
Hozzászólások