Intel Press Release

Intel Chairman Emeritus Honors Bay Area Students At "America's Smithsonian"

10 Finalists Invent the Future as Part of Intel Contestca's Smithsonian"

SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 13,1997 -- A device that takes the wrinkles out of bills that are too "crinkly" for vending machines, chewing gum enriched with bone-strengthening calcium and a pocket-size computer that helps users pronounce words. These are among the inventions submitted by the 10 middle school student finalists in the Bay Area as part of Intel Corporation's "Invention of the Future" contest. Tonight, at a special reception hosted by Intel at the "America's Smithsonian" exhibition, Dr. Gordon Moore, Intel chairman emeritus, will honor the 10 student finalists and announce the grand prize winner.

The "Invention of the Future" contest is designed to encourage creativity and innovation, as well as strengthen students' math and science skills. Organized for students in grades five through nine, the competition challenges today's youth to invent something that will improve their future. The grand prize winner will receive a 266 MHz Pentium® II processor-based system with MMX™ technology; an identical system will also be awarded to the winner's school. The grand prize winner's invention will be displayed in San Jose at the "America's Smithsonian" exhibition and on Intel's World Wide Web home page. It will then travel with the exhibition for the remainder of the tour.

About the Contest
The grand prize winner is Daniel Wootan, 12 , of Santa Cruz, Calif. Daniel's entry, "Decrinkler," is a device that takes the wrinkles out of dollar bills, making them universally usable by vending and change machines. Wootan's invention is like a steam iron for paper currency. The user presses an "open" button on the device, which opens the hinged dollar compartment, and places a bill inside for "decrinkling." After closing the dollar compartment, the user pushes the "on" button to activate the heating process. After five seconds, the user opens the compartment and retrieves the wrinkle-free bill, which is then ready for use in any vending machine.

"I don't think this invention is the most important product in all of our society, but it will be appreciated by people who spend a lot of time in arcades," explained Wootan. "It's very annoying when vending machines and bill changers reject your dollar bills and won't produce coins for change. This device means there's no more wandering around the arcade trying to find quarters."

All of the entries demonstrated the students' creativity and understanding of the patent and invention process. Perhaps as significant are the social issues touched on by many of the students who participated in the contest. Within a four-week period, students and teachers rallied to propose solutions to such social concerns as health, safety and literacy. The entries remind us that our children are well aware of the social issues that affect their everyday lives. Their thoughtfulness demonstrates a welcome dedication to changing things for the better.

Technology Literacy Programs
As a Corporate Partner of the Smithsonian's 150th anniversary celebration, Intel has a unique opportunity to reach a diverse national audience with its commitment to helping people understand and enjoy technology. In addition to the "Invention of the Future" contest, Intel has organized a number of technology literacy programs for the Bay Area. On display at the "America's Smithsonian" exhibition is Intel's very own 3,000 square-foot technology exhibit, complete with a 14-foot-tall walk-in computer, live computer stations where visitors can experiment with the Intel Video Phone with ProShare® technology, as well as a movie called "More Than You Ever Imagined," starring a talking microprocessor named Chip. As a special treat for the Silicon Valley community, Intel also arranged for a mini-exhibit of technology artifacts chosen by Smithsonian curators from the Information Age exhibit at the National Museum of American History. On display at the "America's Smithsonian" are an Altair computer (the first PC, circa 1974), an 8008 microprocessor board, a Texas Instruments Speak and Spell* and a six-inch Intel486™ microprocessor silicon wafer.

The Smithsonian Institution has also requested that Intel donate a number of artifacts to the permanent collection at the Information Age exhibit, which is housed at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Most notable among them is a gold bunny suit of the type worn by Intel's BunnyPeople™ characters. This particular suit was first worn by Intel Chairman and CEO Andy Grove at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Atlanta, Ga., on June 20, 1997. The gold bunny suit artifact will remain on display at the "America's Smithsonian" exhibition throughout its run in San Jose, and will become a permanent part of the Smithsonian's collection after the tour closes on Aug. 31.

Intel recognizes that the "America's Smithsonian" traveling exhibition will be the only opportunity many young Americans ever have to view some of our nation's treasures. Because of this, Intel is working with several nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area and in the community near its Folsom, Calif., site to bring their young members to the exhibition for a day. Each "Field Trip of Dreams" will include bus transportation, a tour through the "America's Smithsonian" exhibit, a box lunch, tickets to The Tech Museum of Innovation and a T-shirt to commemorate the day.

In each of the cities along the "America's Smithsonian" tour, Intel's PC DadsSM have been teaching people about the joys of computing in a down-home and engaging way. Dressed in western costumes, the PC Dads guide non-techies or "tenderfeet" through the "PC Frontier," providing tips on buying computers, raising computer-savvy children, safely going on-line and choosing children's educational software. In San Jose, they appeared at The Tech Museum of Innovation on Aug. 6 as part of Intel Month at The Tech.

All of these programs illustrate the values that Intel shares with the Smithsonian Institution: a common commitment to learning and discovery, to innovation and progress.

Student Finalists:
The following students will be honored tonight as finalists in the "Invention of the Future" contest:

  • Grant Brown, 11, from Fremont, Calif., whose invention was the "Puppy Pacifier"
  • Adrienne Clark, 12, from Los Gatos, Calif., for "An Extra Leg"
  • Deana Dabit, 13, from Daly City, Calif., for "The Safe Swim"
  • Sarah Garret, 14, from Daly City, Calif., for the "Remote Locator Glasses"
  • Jessie Hewins, 13, from Los Altos, Calif., for the "Heart Rate Monitor/Locator"
  • Irina Shukhat, 12, from San Francisco, for the "Read Helper"
  • Sarah Wheeler, 11, from Fremont, Calif., for "The Magic Hand"
  • Charla Wilson, 12, from Gilroy, Calif., for the "Silent Snap"
  • Phil Wise, 13, from Hollister, Calif., for "Calcium Gum"
  • Daniel Wootan, 12, from Santa Cruz, Calif., for the "Decrinkler"

* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.