A hands-free magnifying headset that raises and lowers on command could be on the market soon after gaining attention at a national inventors convention.
J.C. Booth Middle student Marc van Zyl demonstrated the device he developed at the STEMIE Coalition’s 2018 National Invention Convention where he took best in show in the Technologies/Wearables category. Called the Automatic Magnivision, the adjustable magnifying visor fits comfortably around the head, uses standard magnifying lenses, and allows the user to raise and lower the lenses with simple head gestures, eliminating having to take hands away from a project to remove or replace the lenses when needed. The product is affordable, costing less than $100, and is language independent since it responds to head movement instead of voice commands.
Marc’s invention was included in the convention after placing first in the 2018 K-12 InVenture Challenge at Georgia Tech. Only students who won underlying competitions in their states were invited to attend the national contest.
More than 420 students competed this year with 83 of them receiving awards. This is the second consecutive year that a student from J.C. Booth Middle has advanced and won a prize at the National Invention Convention.
The convention was held at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan in June.
