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Teen Tech Challenge Announcement - teens to compete -come up with ways to improve rail crossings
Release Date: October 24, 2016

Alan Brody's wife, Ellen Brody, lost her life in a tragic train crossing accident in 2015. He is sponsoring a tech challenge contest--hoping that teenagers will come up with creative ideas to improve rail crossing systems. He invites students to participate.  Please  spread the word!  A great initiative - encouraging high school students to compete to make our rail crossings safer. We have a lot of smart students living in Greenburgh. Let's take advantage of their talents!

PAUL FEINER

 

Announcing the High School Infrastructure Tech Challenge

 

Are High School Students Smarter than a Railroad Engineer?

  

(White Plains, October 23, 2016)  The Digital Arts Experience announces the first teen challenge that tests the creativity of High school students using ultra-low cost technology to bring significant tech solutions to infrastructure problems.

 

This one day “hackathon” in November, at their center in downtown White Plains will host teams from area high schools that will compete to build a better railroad safety systems using extremely low-cost sensors and controllers.

 

The contest will be mentored by science teachers who will shepherd the students through the usage of Arduino controllers, inexpensive sensors and a simple programming language. 

 

"The accessibility of powerful, low cost technology coupled with the uninhibited, innovative minds of the youth of today should make this an exciting event,” says DAE Director, Rob Kissner. "High Schools students are extraordinarily creative and technically inclined and may provide us with new ideas and insights that completely change the way we look at public safety in all industries.”

 

"The great thing about youth is they are not beholden to the past and bring really fresh thinking," says co-organizer Alan Brody, a tech entrepreneur, startup coach and author.

 

The Future – Collisions Anywhere

The kinds of ultra-cheap technology the teens will develop in this one day contest could be used anywhere that a collision is possible, such as with pillars in parking lots, shopping carts and parked cars and even with aiding the elderly or the blind.

 

The grand prize of $500 is being donated by the Brody family of Edgemont in honor of Ellen Schaeffer Brody and the victims who were lost or injured at the tragic incident in Valhalla in 2015. 

 

ABOUT THE SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12th PROGRAM

 

The Challenge

Each team will have the same set of tools: an Arduino Uno microprocessor, various basic sensors (light, pressure, temperature sensors, etc.), and various simple output devices (LEDs, buzzers, motors, etc.). Teams will design, build and test their systems in real world scenarios with aid of mentors throughout the process. 

 

The Cost of the Tech

The total cost of each construct is expected to be under $50 – in some cases as low as $20.

 

Free to Participate

This challenge is open to all high school students and is free to participate. DAE will provide all controller and sensor equipment although students are free to supplement if they wish.

 

To participate go to  tinyurn.com/TeenTechChallenge

 

 

              

                
           

 

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