10-year-old invents device to save children trapped in hot cars

CTV News Channel: Preventing overheating deaths A 10-year-old boy has invented a gadget to prevent deaths in overheated vehicles. Bishop Curry and his father speak about the Oasis.

A Texas boy who was heartbroken to hear of a neighbour’s child who died in an overheated minivan, is hopeful that a device he invented could one day help prevent other such deaths.

Bishop Curry V was moved to invent the device after learning that a baby in his neighbourhood had died when the child’s father forgot the toddler in the family minivan.

Curry, who has already designed his own catapult and ping pong ball cannon, decided to invent a device that might be able to save the dozens of children who die in hot cars in the U.S. every year.

He made a few drawings and then showed them him to his father, Bishop Curry IV, who works in process engineering at Toyota.

Bishop’s father explained to CTV News Channel that the device would attach to a car seat and would detect when the car has come to a stop and if there’s a child in the car seat.

“If the temperature begins to heat up, the device then begins to blow cold air on the baby while at the same time sending a message to the parents or caregivers,” he said.

“If they don’t respond, then the device would alert authorities and paramedics.”

Bishop named his invention “Oasis” and he and his dad built a 3D model. They then decided they needed to patent the device and create a real prototype. But they soon learned that intellectual property lawyers charge high fees.

When someone suggested they try crowdsourcing money, the Currys didn’t expect their invention would get much attention. Instead, they managed to raise more than US$29,000 on GoFundMe in less than six months.

“We honestly didn’t think we’d raise $5,000. And to be where we are now, I think the world is really supporting Bishop. I think… they just love the heart of a child and his passion to help other kids,” Curry IV said.

The family has now been able to submit invention patent documentation to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. They are now waiting to hear back from them before beginning the manufacturing process.