A Rootstown seventh grader who invented a device to prevent vehicle theft is a finalist in an online competition to bring the device to market.
Ava-Elizabeth Bell, a student at Rootstown Middle School, is one of three finalists in the “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” contest sponsored by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation. If she wins, she will be able to work with a coach to produce a full-scale working prototype and advance her invention.
Voting is open until Feb. 14.
“I need all the votes I can get,” she said.
The invention
Ava-Elizabeth, the daughter of Valerie Cubon-Bell and Seth Bell, invented a device called OCT-D: Defense for Your Car. It makes a car’s windshield opaque, making it impossible to see in or out until the car is started.
The device also has a secondary security measure that sends a message to the owner via an app asking if they started the car. If they owner says yes, the windshield becomes clear, allowing the car to be driven.
Ava-Elizabeth said the device would prevent not only thieves from driving a stolen car, but also “smash and grab” robberies, because the thieves wouldn’t be able to see what’s inside the car. The coating also would keep the interior of the car cooler in the summer months and could be used to promote a business when the car isn’t being driven.