NEW YORK, June 28, 2007 – A completely biodegradable insulation material produced from mushrooms will compete against a nanotechnology-based drug delivery system for chemotherapy patients and eight other novel technology innovations at Innovation Showcase (I-Show), a new ASME program to launch Nov. 9, just prior to the opening of the 2007 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition.

A collegiate competition featuring prototype concepts, I-Show recognizes inventive skill on the part of engineering students who will become tomorrow’s technical innovators and problem-solvers.  ASME will judge entries based on feasibility and potential to impact the commercial marketplace, and reward the winning design team with seed funding and start-up support.

Eight university teams will participate in I-Show at the ASME Congress in Seattle, with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute entering two innovations – the biodegradable building insulation as well as a device that monitors the condition of feet in diabetic patients.  Washington State University also will present two technologies, namely a self-stabilizing hydrofoil for pleasure boats and demonstration of polyimide plastics in the walls of combustors. 

The other universities scheduled to participate in I-Show are the University of Texas at Austin (drug delivery device for chemotherapy patients), St. Louis University (windmill featuring a modified rotation for improved efficiencies), The Pennsylvania State University (device for monitoring energy usage in buildings), University of Idaho (device for monitoring breathing in infants), Oregon State University (device for measuring the liquid/vapor ratio in cooling systems using reflected and refracted light), and Texas A&M University (fire-incident response equipment).

In the time leading up to the competition, the teams will be matched with entrepreneurs and mentors, who will assist the students in refining the products as well as developing a strategic business plan.

The ASME Congress, a forum for the discussion of advanced technologies, will be held Nov. 11-15 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

ASME has developed I-Show in collaboration with the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance and Idea to Product competitions.  I-Show aims to nurture a new generation of innovators, while supporting inventive undergraduate projects, student programs, and faculty curriculum development.

Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization promoting the art, science and practice of mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences.  ASME develops codes and standards that enhance public safety, and provides lifelong learning and technical exchange opportunities benefiting the engineering and technology community.

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