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Three Tennessee students were recognized for their innovative project at the eleventh annual RTX Invention Convention U.S. Nationals at The Henry Ford museum complex in Dearborn, Michigan. The event celebrated over 70 award-winning K-12 inventors from across the country during a June 5 awards ceremony, according to a community announcement.
Tennessee students earn third place for adaptive invention
Gianna G., Mae Mae H., and Sarah W., sixth graders from Franklin, earned third place in the sixth-grade category for their invention, playABLE. The device is an adaptive attachment designed to connect to a wheelchair or walker, enabling individuals with physical disabilities to participate in sports and everyday activities.
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playABLE uses a guided support system to help users safely swing items such as bats, golf clubs, or other tools. The invention addresses the need for multiple specialized devices, which can be costly and contribute to excess material use. By offering a multi-functional, adaptable solution, playABLE supports a variety of attachments, including sports equipment and everyday tools like brooms, reducing the need for multiple single-purpose products.
What sets playABLE apart is its focus on both inclusion and sustainability. By combining multiple functions into one adaptable device, playABLE reduces waste, lowers production demands, and promotes long-term use, while empowering individuals of all abilities to participate more fully in sports and daily life.
Students competing in the Invention Convention programs must first participate at local and regional levels before advancing to the national competition. To participate, students submit a video presentation of their invention, a prototype, an inventor’s logbook documenting the invention process, and a poster board highlighting key points of the project.
This year, 513 students from 30 states competed in the national event. More than 80 awards were presented, including cash prizes, trophies, medals, and patent applications, according to the announcement.
The Henry Ford is a destination that includes the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center, and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school.
Together with its online presence at thf.org and Invention Convention Worldwide, The Henry Ford is part of a growing affiliation of organizations dedicated to fostering innovation, invention, and entrepreneurship in K-12 students.
Disclaimer: This story was written by reporter Gabrielle Chenault at [email protected], with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of information gathering, review, editing and publishing.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Three Franklin students awarded for inclusive sports device invention
