Maanasa Mendu: HARVEST
HARVEST — solar and piezoelectric 'energy leaves'.
Evening power cuts at her grandparents' home in India led Mendu to a device that harvests three small energies at once: "leaves" of solar foil and piezoelectric strips on a recycled-bottle trunk flex in wind and rain while the foil catches light. Materials cost about US$5 and it ran a 15-watt LED. She won the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in 2016 and made the Forbes 30 Under 30 energy list the next year as a high-school freshman, widely cited as its youngest honoree.
IP note
No public IP record.
Recognition
3M Young Scientist 2016; Forbes 30 Under 30 Energy 2017.
What this means for a student inventor in India
[Editor: 120–200 words connecting this story to the Indian route — Section 6 (any true inventor may apply), provisional vs complete specification, disclosure at fairs (Section 31), renewals, and who owns what when a school is involved. Link to the relevant MYCrave guide.]
Related young innovators
- Vinisha Umashankar — Solar-powered ironing cart replacing charcoal box-irons
- William Kamkwamba — Home-built windmill from scrap parts
- Ann Makosinski — Hollow Flashlight powered by body heat
Sources
[Editor: list the 2–4 primary sources from the research notes for this entry, with the date checked.]
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