Minister Sherlock announced a group of 6th class students Andrew Doran, Roisin Connolly, Kate Dowling and Abbie Byrne from Scoil Naomh Iosaf, Baltinglass. Co. Wicklow as the overall Junior Inventor winners 2011.

Their winning invention entitled “Cinema Seat Availability” is for a lighting system for cinemas that makes it easier to find a seat in the dark. When the seat is not in use and is upright there would be a light on this part of the chair, which would be green to indicate that it is free.

If the seat is then in use and the occupant temporarily leaves, the seat will show red for a period of ten minutes. After this time it would change to green to indicate that the seat is available again.

The winner of the 1st to 3rd class category is Eimhin O’Neill from St Anne’s NS, Straffan, Co. Kildare with “The Phone Smoke Alarm”, a smoke alarm built into a mobile phone, as most people use mobile phones as alarm clocks and most house fires happen at night when people are asleep.

Second place in this category was awarded to Andrew Shields, Primrose Hill NS, Celbridge, Co. Kildare for his invention “Musical Toothbrush” and third place to Francesca Scott, Bray School Project, Co. Wicklow for “The Sink Stopper.”

The winner of the 4th to 6th class category is Aaron Farrell from Fermoyle NS, Lanesboro, Co. Longford with the “Disabled Parking Sensor”, a chip that would be incorporated into disabled parking stickers and would be picked up by a sensor in disabled parking signs in car parks. If a car does not have a sticker with a sensor when parking in an allotted space an alarm will sound to warn the person they are parking in a disabled space.

Second place was awarded to Jennifer Murray, Scoil Iosagain, Blarney, Co.

Cork whose invention is titled “Car-park pick-up” and third place to James Gavigan, Fermoyle NS, Lanesboro, Co. Longford for “The Slurry Sensor.”

This is the fourth year of the competition and the interest has grown each year, to the extent that there were over 2,500 entries from 234 schools in 25 different counties this year. The feedback from teachers who have entered children in the competition has been very positive and the Patents Office hopes to build on this success again next year.

Full details of the winners will be available on the Patents Office website http://www.patentsoffice.ie/en/junior-inventor-2011.aspx, from 3.30pm on Monday 16th May 2011.

OVERALL WINNERS
Andrew Doran, Roisin Connolly, Kate Dowling, Abbie Byrne - Scoil Naomh Iosaf, Baltinglass Title - Cinema Seat Availability A lighting system for cinemas that makes it easier to find a seat in the dark. When the seat is not in use and is upright there would be a light on this part of the chair, which will be green to indicate that it is free. If the seat is then sat in and the occupant temporarily leaves, the seat will show red for a period of ten minutes after this time is will change to green to indicate that the seat is available.

1st – 3rd CATEGORY 1st -Eimhin O’Neill – St Anne's NS, Straffan Title – The phone ‘Smoke Alarm’ A smoke alarm built into a mobile phone as most people use mobile phones as alarm clocks. Most house fires happen at night when people are asleep.

2nd -Andrew Shields – Primrose Hill NS Title - Musical Toothbrush A toothbrush that will play our chosen music for a three-minute duration, which is the recommended time that a child should brush for. The music on this brush can be uploaded through your pc.

3rd -Francesca Scott – Bray School Project Title – The Sink Stopper A computer that is built into a sink or bath that allows you to regulate the taps so that only a set amount of water will fill the sink/bath.

4th – 6th CATEGORY 1st -Aaron Farrell - Fermoyle NS, Lanesboro Title – Disabled Parking Sensor A chip that would be incorporated into disabled parking stickers and would be picked up by a sensor in disabled parking signs in carparks. If a car does not have a sticker with a sensor when parking in an allotted space an alarm will sound to warm the person they are parking in a disabled space.

2nd -Jennifer Murray – Scoil Iosagain, Blarney, Co. Cork Title – Car Park Pick-up A system for multi-storey car parks where the car reg is scanned upon entry and as you go up the levels of the car park. When you return there will be system available that you can key your registration in and it will tell you on what level you have parked.

3rd -James Gavigan – Fermoyle NS, Lanesboro Title – The Slurry Sensor When agitating slurry the gas that is released can be poisonous and kill. he invention is a gas sensor that can be placed on the agitator or on any other places that the gas can escape from.