Consumer Products Category Winner

(Winner of an HP Workstation)

Wednesday, April 01 2009

Universal Proprietary Water Purifying/ Conditioning Multimedia

Jim Jablonsky
J&M Associates
Hatfield, PA

This inexpensive and easily operated filter system removes heavy metals, arsenic, mercury, bad tastes, and offensive odors. It consists of a composite mixture of metal oxide, carbon, and zeolite multimedia that has been processed into a nano material suitable for incorporation into inexpensive filter paper. The filter paper has a pore size between 1 and 5 microns. The filter element is inserted in the drinking cap of a bottle of water. The water can be poured through the center of a filter, and the impurities are chemically bound to the nano multimedia material, which produces a pleasant water taste of consistent nature. The materials also remove bacteria and reduce viral contamination. Flavor tapes can be added after the filter, enhancing the bottled water experience. This will help attract kids to a healthy alternative to soda.

The multimedia materials have a great affinity for heavy metals, arsenic, mercury, and odor and taste removal and pass current “TCLP” tests to produce a stabilized matrix suitable for local disposal without the fear of recontamination from this concentrated filter source. These tests have also shown great resistance to fouling and need no prior pH adjustment, which makes this process suitable for bottled water as well as for point-of-use tap water purification. The product has great potential in the third-world market, since it can purify many different water streams from almost all sources.

The filter elements can be manufactured on a very large scale. A disposable system for purifying home tap water would open new untapped markets for the first bottled water manufacturer to embrace this product.

For more information, contact the inventor at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Honorable Mentions

Adaptive Kayaking Fixtures for the Highly Disabled
Mark Theobald
High Seas Productions
Camarillo, CA

This series of adaptive kayak paddling aids is designed for people with incomplete quadriplegia, who are often able to use certain muscles in their arms, wrists, and hands. The device holds the paddle up for the kayaker and keeps the paddle blades oriented in the vertical position. The paddle is duct-taped to the fixture, and paddlers need only be able to push or pull to successfully use them. Those lacking gripping ability are assisted with gloves. The device can be attached to an unmodified rental kayak in one minute. An adjustable, forward-mounted boom can be tipped forward during boarding or exiting.

Moveable Braille Timepiece
David Chavez
Costa Mesa, CA

Current Braille timepieces only help the user orient the watch hands in relation to the watch face, but can lead to an inaccurate time assessment. Digital devices use sound to communicate the time, thus inhibiting the user from checking their watch unnoticed. Haptica is a moveable Braille timepiece that provides a quick and accurate time reading by displaying a real-time readout in Braille using a military-time format. The wearer scans along the Braille channel with their finger to check the time.