Meet 8 hardware projects taking on social challenges

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is looking to harness hardware to solve big problems.

ASME is holding a global competition to find social innovation–oriented inventions, and D.C. is one of the cities where they will be featured in a showcase.

This year’s ASME ISHOW is scheduled for June 21 at the District Architecture Center. The event will be held from 6-8 p.m., with free admission.

Eight finalists were chosen as part of the competition, and three will win a share of $50,000 in cash. The inventions address areas like water and sanitation, agriculture and health. The organization is also holding events in Bengaluru, India, and Nairobi, Kenya.

Hello, #ISHOW18 #US finalists! Get the word out. Tweet about your participation at @ASMEishow using #thisishardware. We're looking forward to meeting you soon! pic.twitter.com/Hw9ZVEgCow

— ASME IShow (@ASMEishow) June 13, 2018

Here’s a look at the 2018 finalist projects, with info provided by ASME:

Solar Hybrid Coffee Roaster: Felix Escalante created a device to allow small farmers to use solar power and cut down on production costs.

Rubitect Assessment System: Sanna Gaspard’s tool gives caregivers a new way to assess skin health.

WERLWind: Amy Bilton is looking to help small fish farmers increase yields with a floating, wind-powered aeration

PointCheck: Carlos Castro-Gonzalez has a device to aid in early detection of low neutrophil levels in patients after chemotherapy.

EXGbuds: Ker-Jiun Wang is presenting earbuds that measure gestures and generate commands to interact with smart home devices.

SunSaluter: Eden Full Goh is out to improve solar panels with a tracker technology.

NeoVent: Anna John’s dual-pressure ventilator does not require electricity.

SER: Gustavo Becker’s device creates resources humans can use out of sunlight, salt and gray water.