Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is dedicated to fostering innovative thinking, creative problem-solving, and collaborative teamwork to tackle the most pressing societal issues. The program has played a rewarding role in reigniting the ingenuity and creativity of STEM students, which had been dampened by the challenges of remote learning and isolation during the years of COVID disruptions.

The 13th installment of Solve for Tomorrow in the United States has brought 10 remarkable national finalists from a pool of 50 state winners. These teams have been recognized for their extraordinary ideas, spanning from environmental solutions to assistive technology devices.

With a substantial prize package of $50,000 in technology and supplies awaiting each team, the stakes are high as they strive to make a lasting impact on their communities. Let’s delve into some of their ideas.

Innovations for community health

In the city of Richmond Hill, Georgia, middle school students recognized how the veterans in their community suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Collaboratively, they created ‘Safe Sleep,’ a device that connects to a phone to facilitate better sleep for users. Jessica from the team explained, “Our goal is to help ease the distress of PTSD patients. Safe Sleep monitors the user’s pulse and, upon detecting sudden increases during PTSD night terrors, alerts and guides the user through breathing exercises via an app.”

Similarly, in Florida, a team from Strawberry Crest High School was determined to enhance living conditions for their community. Motivated by the tragic loss of one of their peers due to extreme heat, they embarked on a project aimed at saving young athletes’ lives. The students developed the ‘Human Health Band,’ a wearable sensor integrated with an app that enables coaches to monitor athletes’ body temperatures. When the temperature rises beyond the safety zone, the device sounds an alarm. “We received much support from software experts and gym coaches, enabling us to create a fully functioning prototype,” shared the team.

Protecting the environment

Several teams identified environmental concerns as pressing issues affecting their communities. In Bloomington, Indiana, high school students observed the perilous heat stress resulting from the urban heat island effect caused by rising temperatures. To combat this issue, they found an artistic solution, engineering the ‘Temp Mural.’ Painted with highly reflective and climate-positive barium sulfated paint, this mural serves to reflect heat. The team aims to expand the use of the special paint throughout the community to maximize its impact.

Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, students from the robotics club at Merrimack Valley High School sought to protect their community’s water resources. “We built Shelby, a turtle-shaped aquatic robot designed to remove phosphorus pollution from local ponds and rivers,” explained the team. Shelby filters phosphorus from the surrounding water, releasing clean water back into the environment. The team’s goal is to safeguard the phosphorus levels, particularly in the Merrimack River, which serves as a vital drinking water source.

All participants in Solve for Tomorrow have demonstrated remarkable innovation and perseverance. We deeply appreciate the efforts of all the teams in developing solutions to benefit their communities and anticipate discovering the national winner of Solve for Tomorrow USA.