Teenager's Invention Improves In-Flight Air Quality
High school senior (and TED Talk contributor) Raymond Wang has invented a device that can significantly improve air quality on airplanes — and recently won $75,000 for his efforts. New TPG Contributor Ellen Boomer interviewed Wang to get the lowdown on his plans to make you feel healthier at 35,000 feet.
Air travelers may soon breathe easier, thanks to 17-year-old Raymond Wang. This high school senior and avid traveler who hails from Vancouver was struck by reports of how diseases, such as SARS, spread on commercial aircraft. “I’ve always loved airplanes [and]... the air travel experience is obviously a huge part of getting where we need to go," Wang said. "But basically, you’re sticking 200 people in this metal tube that flies halfway across the world."
Using computational fluid dynamics, he invented something that may revolutionize air quality inside cabins — a piece of composite plastic that can reduce disease transmission up to 55 times and doubles the availability of fresh air on airplanes. In addition to being a simple solution to a complex problem, this piece of plastic can be installed overnight in an aircraft for roughly $1,000 per plane.
At the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in May 2015, Wang demonstrated the efficacy of his innovation with various models and simulations. He also won several awards, including first place from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), the top award in the Engineering Mechanics category and the $75,000 Gordon E. Moore Award, or overall “Best in Show.”
Scott Clary, PhD, Intel ISEF 2015 Engineering Mechanics Category Co-Chair and Electromechanical Engineering Manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, is excited by Wang's award-winning invention. “Using high fidelity computational fluid dynamics modeling and representative physical simulations, Raymond Wang’s work has significantly enhanced our understanding of how disease-causing pathogens travel via circulating airflow in aircraft cabins, and has also helped him to develop multiple approaches for reducing disease transmission in these types of settings," Clary said.
As you'll see in the video above, current in-flight air distribution patterns merely swirl around the air that's breathed out by passengers without eliminating possible pathogens.
When in place, Wang’s patent-pending invention — as you'll see in this second video — causes streams of air to come down and create something akin to a bubble around each passenger, isolating them within their own breathing zones. Air flows from the main cabin inlets in the top and sides of the plane and is then pushed out through outlets in the bottom of the cabin.
“Even if we don’t end up implementing my particular solution, at least we raise a discussion about the issue of aircraft cabin air flow so that there’s a greater impetus for people in the industry to create these solutions,” Wang said. “The two main goals I have are to promote my innovation so that we can have more discussion of these issues and to possibly get something like my innovation in the airline industry itself.”
“Others have proposed solutions of this type to varying extents, but Raymond appears to have come upon an elegant and practical solution, perhaps the most promising one to date,” said Colonel (ret) Andre Gerner, SETP Foundation Chair.
“What kept me going was being able to discover something new that previous researchers hadn't discovered before and to come up with solutions where previous researchers had faltered,” Wang said, explaining the five months he spent from the inception of his idea to the creation of his innovation. He also added how grateful he is to his parents for tolerating his many late nights. This inventor is 17 years old, after all.
Next up for Wang? His second TEDYouth Talk took place on Saturday, November 14 in New York City, and he's currently applying to universities in Canada and the US where he plans to pursue engineering and business — and no doubt, lots more air travel.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
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- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.