Betterfrost Ultra-Low Energy Defrost & Defog System

Derrick Redding, Betterfrost Technologies
Ontario, Canada

Winner of an HP Workstation

Betterfrost’s solution defrosts and defogs electric vehicles’ windshields with 20 times less power than current technology and extends the range of an EV by 38 km on an average commute in winter. This range is worth $600/vehicle in battery pack cost to automakers. The solution is based on decades of research at the Dartmouth Ice lab, where the team studied how ice forms, adheres to surfaces, and melts.

The system provides high-voltage, pulsed power to the transparent, conductive layer inside of windshields (e.g., low-e glass). The patented system controls the penetration depth of heat to provide only the minimal amount of heat necessary to melt the boundary layer of ice for easy removal. This is in contrast to current methods which flood surfaces with heat and are energy intensive. It also keeps the windshield fog free with 20× less energy than current methods.

The solution includes an electrical control unit that runs the control algorithm. The team has conducted hundreds of cold chamber tests, field tests, and deep cold tests down to -40 °C to validate the technology works.

They have completed successful trials at two OEMs and a Tier 1 supplier. At one of the OEM’s R&D test lab in May, their EV took 20 minutes to defrost the windshield per FMVSS103. In contrast, this system only took 45 seconds to clear the ice from the same vehicle running the same test.

The team has additional tests scheduled at another OEM and Tier 1 this year. Two OEMs are paying for the next stages of development to integrate the technology into an EV.

For more information, visit here .


Honorable Mentions

Meili Technologies: Revolutionizing Vehicle Safety with Deep Learning Medical Emergency Detection

John DeFelice, Samantha Lee, Marc Rosenmayr, and Makena Kraus,
Meili Technologies, New York, NY

The Deep Learning Anomaly Detection System can actively detect if the operator of the vehicle shows signs of severe health issues while driving. Meili’s software works by monitoring key health metrics, including heart rate, breath rate, facial landscaping points, and body posture to determine if the operator is experiencing a severe health issue. Meili values the privacy of its users and does not store any personally identifiable data.

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KUHMUTE Universal Charging Network for Anything Smaller than an Electric Car

Peter Deppe, Scott Spitler, Jon Larr, Edward Wenzel, Melody Denby, Austin Hindman, Jared Robinson, Preston Gage, and Carter Holmes,
KUHMUTE, Flint, MI

The solution provides a parking and charging infrastructure for anything smaller than an electric vehicle, such as electric bikes and other smaller forms of mobility. The charging hubs are able to park and charge e-scooters, bikes, wheelchairs, delivery robots, and more all in the same place.

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Astron Omega 1 Rotary Hydrogen Engine

Matthew Riley and Chris Theodore,
Theodore & Associates, Birmingham, MI

The Omega I engine features a high power-to-weight ratio, high rpm capability, low friction, and fuel consumption, simplicity (only two rotating assemblies), and can run on both liquid and gaseous fuels. It is particularly well-suited to hydrogen and HCCI operation for near zero emission operation.

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Closed Loop Control for the Reduction of Soot in Diesel-Fueled Engines

Michael Holihan and Patrick Derbin,
Woodstock, GA

A system for cooling a piston throughout the entire engine operating range. The motivation for this invention is to base the amount of oil used in cooling/lubrication to the amount of thermal loading imposed on the piston due to increased loading and perform it in a closed-loop manner. The technology allows for longer intervals between oil changes (less soot build up) and accommodates the use of duel fuels.

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See the rest of this year's winners: