We helped a team of students tackle the critical community challenge of helping individuals aged 65 and older transition between positions—such as standing, sitting, lying down, and recovering from a fall—more independently. Over the course of the project, the team developed seven iterations of their design, working toward a solution that promotes greater mobility, independence, and health benefits for seniors.
The students’ hard work and innovation earned them recognition as one of only eight teams nationwide selected for the Lemelson-MIT Grant Initiative InvenTeam, granting them the opportunity to present their invention at MIT’s EurekaFest. The project provided a unique, hands-on experience in engineering, business, and interdisciplinary problem-solving.
The team was structured into five departments—technical design, finance, sustainability, marketing, and communications—allowing students to gain expertise in areas such as physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science, bookkeeping, environmental science, and communication. These roles not only honed their technical skills but also provided leadership opportunities, encouraging them to apply their academic knowledge to real-world challenges and guide the team toward its ambitious goals.
This grant empowered students to innovate and make a meaningful impact in their community, showcasing the power of education to inspire creativity, collaboration, and change.
