Fifth graders in the Voyager Program in the Lynbrook Public School District spent months working in groups on research projects, which challenged them to design technology of the future that would help solve an issue affecting the world today.

Each student was responsible for publishing a different section of the project, and groups focused on issues that they were passionate about. Team Glimpse, for example, created futuristic technology that would assist people who are visually impaired. Glimpse supports the wearer with directional guidance while also assisting them in “seeing” the colors around them. In addition, Team Distracto Watch created a watch to make the wearer more aware of their distractibility while also refocusing and redirecting the wearer back on task, while another team created a compact wearable technology meant to monitor, prevent and treat epileptic seizures.

The other Voyager teams focused on environmental issues on both land and in water, such as a forest fire prevention drone that uses futuristic nanobot technology to identify and extinguish forest fires, an invention to help protect the declining honeybee population from the varroa mite, and a whale avoidance system to be used by shipping vessels to protect endangered whales from ship collisions and net entanglement.

Each Voyager team was coached by students in Charles Vessalico’s Science Research program at Lynbrook High School.

“This collaboration helped to motivate our Voyagers to reach new heights as they worked hard to prepare for their mentor meetings,” said Voyager teacher Corinne Teichman. “Mentors offered great feedback and advice to our Voyagers. Our Voyagers are excited to meet their mentors in person at this year’s Science Research Symposium.”

Date Added: 5/20/2022