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The pain Henry Evans felt in his head was so severe, he dropped to his knees and had to crawl to the car that would take him to the doctor.

Evans was suffering a stroke that day five years ago. It robbed him of his ability to walk and speak. But a device developed by a team of high school students now allows Evans, of Los Altos Hills, Calif., to use a laser pointer to do basic tasks with a turn of his head.

The “Laser Finger” was one of several student inventions on display from around the country Wednesday at MIT’s annual InvenTeams initiative. Among the other projects: a “fire grenade” that can suppress particularly dangerous blazes and an “A-Pod” that reminds Alzheimer’s patients to perform important tasks.

InvenTeams, which is part of the MIT Lemelson program to honor and encourage inventors, is not a competition, but a way to inspire a new generation of inventors, said the program’s executive director, Joshua Schuler.

Since the pilot program in 2002, the number of grants — which range as high as $10,000 — has grown from three to 20 projects this year.

“We’re trying to develop more technically creative young people and give them the confidence they can do this,” he said.

Fox News