The “ATLAS Powered Rope Ascender”, an invention by Nathan Ball (who has applied for three patents), has won the annual Lemelson-MIT Student Prize. In 30 seconds, the invention lets the firefighters to reach the top of a 30-story building. It can raise 250 lb more than 600 ft into air. And, his invention is only the size of a hand-held power tool.
So, how does the invention work? It relies on the capstan effect, which produces a grip which is tighter each time a rope is wrapped around a cylinder.
Nathan Ball is also hosting a children’s reality show named “Design Squad”. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from MIT.

Hoang Than is a student at Dai Kim Elementary School in Hanoi. He has won 2 national prizes in invention contests so far. So what about it? Well, he was born in 2000!
He has memorized the multiplication tables, and knows how to solve difficult division problems.
The first prize he won was for developing a way to solve math operations using the plastic covers of Vietnamese herbal pills. These plastic covers had the same function as calculation sticks used by elementary students. This won the youngest inventor’s prize.
The second one was for developing a model with forests as the theme.
Little things, perhaps, but considering his age, and the fact that he competed with students from all across the nation older than him, Hoang Than has a bright future ahead of him. Hope we will hear about him more in the near future!!