0:00:16 > 0:00:19Hello and welcome to another My Genius Idea, the series
0:00:19 > 0:00:21that's looking for the biggest,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24best and brightest ideas from all of you.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27In My Genius Idea, we are looking
0:00:27 > 0:00:29for the next generation of inventors.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33We received ideas from all over the UK.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36The Genius Ideas ranged from how to look after your pets,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39robots to help around the home,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42through to flying cars and eco-powered planes.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47Only 18 ideas made it to the heats
0:00:47 > 0:00:49and they'll now go head to head to see
0:00:49 > 0:00:52who'll be crowned the overall winner.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Our budding inventors will work with experts
0:00:55 > 0:00:57to help their inventions come to life.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00And they will go behind the scenes of some of the UK's most successful
0:01:00 > 0:01:03organisations to give them the inspiration needed to progress
0:01:03 > 0:01:05their inventions further.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I used this to inspire what I did.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Deciding if they can progress in the competition will be down to
0:01:10 > 0:01:13expert inventor and judge, Tom Lawton.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Tom has always had a passion for inventing.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21I love it. There are so many ideas
0:01:21 > 0:01:24all around us and under everybody's nose there's a solution
0:01:24 > 0:01:26that needs to be solved or a problem
0:01:26 > 0:01:28that hasn't been addressed yet.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Tom started inventing when he was ten and by the time he was 21,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33he developed his first product,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36the world's first recordable alarm clock.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38You always have ideas and being an inventor is
0:01:38 > 0:01:42about actually seeing those ideas through to something that's real.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46He's gone on to build a successful career as an inventor,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48winning international awards for his work.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51It's great doing a programme about young inventors
0:01:51 > 0:01:54because young inventors have a very fresh perception of the world
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and so I hope to be inspired by some of these young minds.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Hoping to impress Tom with their ideas are...
0:02:11 > 0:02:14And here they are now, our three young inventors.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Welcome to the My Genius Idea nerve centre. How are you all feeling?
0:02:18 > 0:02:21- Fine. - Oh, good. You seem quite up for it.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Karampreet, I'll come to you first. What's your Genius Idea?
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Well, the sun holds a lot of untapped energy and
0:02:27 > 0:02:31I've got satellites with solar panels on them orbiting the sun
0:02:31 > 0:02:33and they will be collecting a lot of energy
0:02:33 > 0:02:35which they can then send back to the Earth.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41So, Karampreet's idea is to take untapped energy from the sun
0:02:41 > 0:02:45and beam it back down to Earth by using solar panels.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Just like his jujitsu, it's all about minimum force
0:02:49 > 0:02:51to create maximum energy.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53You get space probes orbiting the Earth
0:02:53 > 0:02:55and some of them study the sun.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57I had this idea of using solar panels
0:02:57 > 0:02:59which could orbit the sun to get
0:02:59 > 0:03:01a lot more benefits out of it.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03So, it's quite an environmentally friendly project.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05It's really environmentally friendly.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Brilliant. I'm impressed, Karampreet.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10- OK, I'm going to move onto Shannon. - Hello.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13- What's the big idea? - A bed making machine.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16A bed making machine? What's the inspiration behind it?
0:03:16 > 0:03:19I don't really like making my bed so I thought that
0:03:19 > 0:03:23if we had a machine to help us make our beds,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25it would just change the future.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31So, Shannon's idea is to build a machine with mechanical arms
0:03:31 > 0:03:33to make your bed in the mornings,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37but will music loving Shannon's invention hit the right notes...
0:03:37 > 0:03:38SHE PLAYS THE TRUMPET
0:03:38 > 0:03:41..and help her in the competition?
0:03:41 > 0:03:46I think it's the best idea because it will help save time in the morning.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48I think that's a brilliant idea.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51OK, Caitlin, we're coming on to you. What's your idea?
0:03:51 > 0:03:52It's a tree simulator.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56- Tell us more about it?- Well, what it does is it takes in the carbon
0:03:56 > 0:04:00in the air and using chlorophyll it cleans it and turns it into oxygen.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Caitlin's idea is a tree simulator which will take in harmful
0:04:05 > 0:04:10carbon dioxide gases and turn them into oxygen to make cleaner air.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Her idea would work just like the trees that are all around.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17They will be put in built up areas to reduce air pollution,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20but will she gallop on to win the competition?
0:04:20 > 0:04:23It's helping the environment
0:04:23 > 0:04:25and it's for a good cause
0:04:25 > 0:04:29and not something, like, just to help entertainment.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32In the My Genius Idea HQ,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Karampreet, Shannon and Caitlin will each have
0:04:35 > 0:04:38one hour to develop their idea with a top expert.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Karampreet is wasting no time with his expert,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Dr Douglas Halliday, a physicist.
0:04:44 > 0:04:45My idea was that solar panels
0:04:45 > 0:04:48are probably going to be the future of our energy.
0:04:48 > 0:04:49If you used a microwave beam,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52you'd lose a very small amount of the energy
0:04:52 > 0:04:53and it would also be wireless.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Then it could be picked up by a receiver
0:04:55 > 0:04:57to power our homes and offices.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Karampreet's idea is to put solar panels near the sun
0:05:01 > 0:05:05to capture energy and beam it back down to Earth to power our homes.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08I was wondering, how close could we get these satellites
0:05:08 > 0:05:09and solar panels to the sun?
0:05:09 > 0:05:13The best solution would be to have the satellites much closer
0:05:13 > 0:05:16to the Earth so it's easier for you to send the energy
0:05:16 > 0:05:19from the solar panels down to the Earth.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22It's probably worth thinking about how close we can have them to
0:05:22 > 0:05:26the Earth rather than how far away we need to send them to the sun.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29So, do you have any idea...?
0:05:29 > 0:05:32After finding out his solar panels would work better positioned
0:05:32 > 0:05:36closer to the Earth not the sun, Karampreet has a lot to think about
0:05:36 > 0:05:39if he's got any chance of staying in this competition.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Shannon is helped with her bed making machine idea
0:05:42 > 0:05:45by Kevin Amos, a robotics engineer.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47So, here we have a bed just like your bedroom.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Can you show me how it looks when you've got up in the morning?
0:05:51 > 0:05:53So, you throw the duvet back.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Describe the machine you had in mind.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- There's two robotic arms that come out.- One on each side.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Yes, one on each side. You put your pillow down.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Show me what the robot arms are actually doing.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08It puts your pillow
0:06:08 > 0:06:10where it was
0:06:10 > 0:06:15and then it brings the blanket up and then just smoothes it out.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17We've got a machine here with us today
0:06:17 > 0:06:21- and we are going to try and do just that.- Cool.
0:06:21 > 0:06:22Cool. Yeah, it will be.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Shannon's invention is for a machine that has moving mechanical arms
0:06:26 > 0:06:29to help you make your bed and it's a good start.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32But how is Caitlin getting on? She's discovering the science
0:06:32 > 0:06:34behind her tree simulator
0:06:34 > 0:06:36from Valerie Ludbrook, a biologist.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38So, your idea is a tree simulator.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Can you tell me a little bit more about it?
0:06:41 > 0:06:43We're going to have this machine
0:06:43 > 0:06:47and it is going to suck in the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
0:06:47 > 0:06:50and using chlorophyll, turn it into oxygen.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52OK, so that's exactly how a tree works.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57Caitlin's idea is to try to find a way to take the harmful
0:06:57 > 0:06:59carbon dioxide out of the air and then recycle it
0:06:59 > 0:07:02to make the oxygen we need for cleaner air.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Can you think of any challenges with your invention?
0:07:05 > 0:07:08I think the main challenge is, if you can't extract
0:07:08 > 0:07:12the chlorophyll from the leaves, then it won't be able to work.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Caitlin knows her invention will only succeed
0:07:15 > 0:07:17if she can extract chlorophyll.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21It's a huge challenge to overcome if she's to stay in the competition.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23The key to Karampreet's invention
0:07:23 > 0:07:26is deciding how to send energy from the sun back to Earth.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29He has an idea of how this could be done.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32I wanted to use a microwave beam, simply because that could get
0:07:32 > 0:07:36through the atmosphere without much of the energy being blocked out.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38So, I was going to ask you, could you use multiple
0:07:38 > 0:07:40different beams which are less intense,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44but because there's more of them, get the same amount of energy?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47I think we would have to use either lots of small beams
0:07:47 > 0:07:51or a very large beam. One of the technical challenges
0:07:51 > 0:07:53in implementing your idea
0:07:53 > 0:07:57will be to construct a transmitter and receiver
0:07:57 > 0:08:01that can send the beam back to Earth which is probably not this size,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04or even this size but maybe many meters across.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Karampreet's begun to see how big the dish needs to be
0:08:07 > 0:08:09to receive the energy beam down.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13He'll have to convince Tom later that he can make this a reality.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Shannon's ironing out some problems with her idea.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20So, what I've done there, Shannon,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23I have taught a series of movements by moving the robot and saving it.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28Now, hopefully, when we press this green button here, the robot's going
0:08:28 > 0:08:32to go through those movements and put our pillow down here.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34So, after programming a few simple moves,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38the robot begins to make the bed.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41It's going to grab the pillow. That's it. Keep your finger on it.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Would your mum mind a robot in your bedroom like that?
0:08:54 > 0:08:56- Yeah, she would mind. - The problem for us is,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00our robot can't see.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05So, you put the pillow down the end but the robot doesn't know
0:09:05 > 0:09:09that the pillow's moved because it's just literally running a sequence.
0:09:09 > 0:09:15What would the robot need for it to see where the pillow is?
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Basically, it would need some form of camera and
0:09:18 > 0:09:22then the camera actually links to the robot and it can then see.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25So, just like we see really and it can actually search for something.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Could you get a camera on this type of robot?
0:09:29 > 0:09:33You can and in fact, we've actually got a camera mounted on it anyway,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36but it's not at the moment linked to controlling the robot.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Shannon needs to focus on
0:09:38 > 0:09:40how a camera could be used so her invention
0:09:40 > 0:09:43will see on its own and teach itself how to make the bed.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46If it works, it could just give her the edge in the competition.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Caitlin is developing her tree simulator idea.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52To make this work, she'll need to explore
0:09:52 > 0:09:56- what leaves on trees do every day, a process called photosynthesis.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58What do you know about photosynthesis?
0:09:58 > 0:10:05The carbon dioxide is taken into the leaves and the chlorophyll
0:10:05 > 0:10:07turns the carbon dioxide into oxygen.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09What the plant actually does is,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11it uses the energy from the sunlight
0:10:11 > 0:10:16to split water in two and the oxygen is a waste product of that.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20You were exactly right in your idea in the invention.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24You were explaining earlier which part of the plant
0:10:24 > 0:10:30we need in order for this reaction to happen. What was that again?
0:10:30 > 0:10:32- Chlorophyll.- Chlorophyll, exactly.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36We need chlorophyll. That's fundamental to your invention.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Do you know where the chlorophyll is?
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- In the leaves. - It's in the leaves, exactly.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43So, if we take a look at one
0:10:43 > 0:10:46of these leaves here, it's very green,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49so that's packed full of chlorophyll.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54Caitlin realises that chlorophyll is vital for her idea. She knows
0:10:54 > 0:10:57the success of her invention relies on extracting it from leaves,
0:10:57 > 0:11:01so it's all or nothing as she fights for a place in the next round.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05With only 20 minutes left, I'm off to see how their ideas
0:11:05 > 0:11:08are coming along. First up is Karampreet.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09What's the plan?
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Well, we've basically been looking at how feasible these solar panels
0:11:13 > 0:11:17in space are and we've been looking at how some of the technologies
0:11:17 > 0:11:20which we'd need to use are already being used on a smaller scale.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24Dr Douglas, can you make this kind of advancements? Is it possible?
0:11:24 > 0:11:28The challenge is taking something like this small panel here and
0:11:28 > 0:11:31scaling it up to making it hundreds or even thousands of times larger.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33You're going to change the world,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35so I'll let you get on with changing it.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Thank you.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Next up it's Shannon. How is she getting on mastering
0:11:40 > 0:11:46the mechanics of her robot? Kevin, Shannon, how's it going so far?
0:11:46 > 0:11:50There is one little problem because if the pillow's down here,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54the robot can't see it without eyes like us.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56It needs eyes to see where it's going.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Well, it needs a camera to see where it's going.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03But do you have to control it physically to move it?
0:12:03 > 0:12:04No, it thinks for itself but
0:12:04 > 0:12:08we would actually have to have something on the pillow that made
0:12:08 > 0:12:10the robot identify it.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Have you come up with any solutions for that?
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- That's the next bit. - I'm going to leave you
0:12:15 > 0:12:19to discuss that because it looks like you've made some great headway.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Caitlin needs to manufacture photosynthesis.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26To do this, she needs to find a way of locking in water
0:12:26 > 0:12:28so that the carbon dioxide can get in
0:12:28 > 0:12:30but the oxygen can still get out.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Caitlin, what's this?
0:12:32 > 0:12:36It's an egg and it's been soaked in vinegar for three days.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Can I just say that that feels just like a sponge?
0:12:40 > 0:12:43It doesn't feel real! That's amazing. But what I want to know is,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45how does it actually apply to your idea, Caitlin?
0:12:45 > 0:12:48For photosynthesis, you need keep the water for it.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50So what it will do is,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53a semi permeable membrane will keep the water in
0:12:53 > 0:12:57but it will let the carbon dioxide in and the oxygen out,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59to keep the water inside.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Wow, really fascinating stuff.
0:13:01 > 0:13:07So, what does expert inventor and judge Tom make of the ideas so far?
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Tom, some really ambitious ideas we've seen here today.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11You are going to look at them
0:13:11 > 0:13:14a little bit later on, but what are your initial reactions?
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Some of their imaginations
0:13:16 > 0:13:19are really underpinned by some quite sound thinking.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23I judge adult invention contests from time to time and I don't think
0:13:23 > 0:13:26you would have had ideas of this quality from them.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28They are really seeing the big picture
0:13:28 > 0:13:32and trying to solve fundamental problems. All credit to these guys.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Listen, go and have another look and I'll speak to you later.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Tom will be judging all their ideas later on. He'll want to know
0:13:40 > 0:13:42how well Karampreet, Shannon and Caitlin
0:13:42 > 0:13:44have understood the technology
0:13:44 > 0:13:48behind their inventions and how well they can sell them to him.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Only one of today's inventors can win a place in the next round.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54This looks interesting. You are experimenting
0:13:54 > 0:13:59- with frequencies of light.- That's right.- It would be a waste product.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02So, this is for the final touches of puffing your pillow?
0:14:02 > 0:14:04- Yeah.- Very good. - Now, the UK leads the way
0:14:04 > 0:14:07in loads of cutting edge technology and even space exploration.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10We thought it would be good idea to send this lot off on a mission
0:14:10 > 0:14:13to see how great ideas made down here on Earth
0:14:13 > 0:14:15can work up there in space.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20The Space Research Centre at Leicester University
0:14:20 > 0:14:23is at the forefront of space exploration.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Their latest project is to search for life on Mars.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Our young inventors have come to see the dedication, hard work
0:14:30 > 0:14:34and, most of all, patience it takes to launch a mission into space.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38It's really exciting to be at a proper space research centre
0:14:38 > 0:14:41because they actually make things that are sent to space.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43It would be great if I learnt something today
0:14:43 > 0:14:45which would help me with my invention.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Dr Ian Hutchinson is one of the people behind the mission.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51It's great if they take away the message that in order to be
0:14:51 > 0:14:55a successful scientist, they should never give up when things go wrong
0:14:55 > 0:14:59and always take away the positives and work towards the next project.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03He shows the young inventors just how a robot is built
0:15:03 > 0:15:05to tackle a mission on Mars.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Here you can see the solar panels which will collect energy
0:15:08 > 0:15:12from the sun and enable the batteries to be charged
0:15:12 > 0:15:15so that the rover's motors can move it about the surface
0:15:15 > 0:15:17and the instruments can analyse the sample
0:15:17 > 0:15:19that is extracted from the drill.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23At the top, you see Bridget's eyes and that enables her to analyse
0:15:23 > 0:15:26the terrain that's around her so that she can move safely
0:15:26 > 0:15:30between the various hazards that are on the surface of the planet.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34I think because of looking at Bridget and how she's made,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37I'm going to try and think about
0:15:37 > 0:15:39how the arms are going to come off the bed.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43After finding out more about the robot,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45our young inventors are full of questions.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48- Do you think there's life on Mars? - I certainly hope so.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52With the drill on the rover, that's able to go deep below the surface,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56there's a much better chance of finding examples of life
0:15:56 > 0:15:59that we will be able to prove using the instrumentation.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Even if it looks gold, is it real gold on there?
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Yes, surprisingly, what you see there is real gold.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07Why is it real gold on it?
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Real gold is a very good thermal conductor,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13which is what's important for the thermal stability of the instruments.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15How long will it be on the surface of Mars for?
0:16:15 > 0:16:17It will operate for at least six months.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21There's a planned programme, a different sample test it needs to do,
0:16:21 > 0:16:26but with some luck, it might be able to last longer than six months.
0:16:26 > 0:16:27To show our budding inventors that there is
0:16:27 > 0:16:31no room for mistakes on Mars, they've been given a simple task.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35They have to navigate their own robot over Mars-like terrain.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38It will be easy for these to get over the rocks
0:16:38 > 0:16:40because they are much larger than rocks.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Bridget had very large wheels compared to the rocks.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48- What do you think Shannon? - I think that one.- This one?
0:16:48 > 0:16:50I think that's a good choice.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Can they complete their mission?
0:16:55 > 0:16:57It's a promising start,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00but it's not long before the Martian landscape
0:17:00 > 0:17:04- begins to challenge the rover. - THEY GROAN
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- It's fallen over. - Is this game over now?
0:17:07 > 0:17:09I'm afraid so. You can see just how difficult it is
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and there's nobody there on the surface of Mars
0:17:12 > 0:17:15to pick your rover up for you if it falls over.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18I would love to go to Mars because
0:17:18 > 0:17:21there'd be loads of stuff to discover.
0:17:21 > 0:17:26'It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.'
0:17:26 > 0:17:30What I've taken from this is that you really do have to keep trying,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32have patience and not rush what you do.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37You really do need to perfect it so it works to the best of its ability.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40We are back in the My Genius Idea HQ
0:17:40 > 0:17:43and it's the last ten minutes of their development session.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Now Karampreet, Shannon and Caitlin will see if their ideas
0:17:47 > 0:17:49can actually work. The pressure is on.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Karampreet and Douglas are doing some final calculations.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57So, what we have here is a small solar panel,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00a lamp to simulate full sunlight.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03They need all this equipment to see how big
0:18:03 > 0:18:07a solar panel orbiting the Earth needs to be to power a single house.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11The total area of your solar cell would be four square meters.
0:18:11 > 0:18:17That would produce enough energy to power a house in the United Kingdom.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19So, do you think that's possible?
0:18:19 > 0:18:22I think that is feasible. It's actually a lot smaller
0:18:22 > 0:18:23than I thought it would be.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27That shows the potential of sustainable energy.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29So, Karampreet is happy with the results,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33but will they be enough to secure him a place in the next round?
0:18:33 > 0:18:35Meanwhile, Shannon is beginning to see
0:18:35 > 0:18:38how a camera on her bed making machine
0:18:38 > 0:18:39could bring her idea to life.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44Now it's going down. You can see the gripper,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46so, its going to come up.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Now the arm has got the camera, could I make the bed making machine?
0:18:52 > 0:18:56The actual principle of using a robot programmed in this way, with a camera
0:18:56 > 0:19:00to find things, providing we had something on the sheet and the duvet
0:19:00 > 0:19:02that it could recognise,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05it is very possible to make a bed making machine.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09To make Caitlin's idea work, they are using a centrifuge,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12which spins round really quickly like a washing machine.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15It will try to separate out the green chlorophyll.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19If she's successful, it could make her tree simulator work.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22That's spun for five minutes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24- What do you see? - All of the light stuff,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27like the protein and the chlorophyll has gone to the top
0:19:27 > 0:19:30and all of the heavy debris stuff has gone to the bottom.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34But how will we know if the chlorophyll is still in the solution?
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- Because the solution will be green. - Exactly.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40With time up, Karampreet has been able to work out
0:19:40 > 0:19:42how big his solar panels need to be.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Shannon has made her bed making machine work
0:19:45 > 0:19:47with a camera and Caitlin has been able to
0:19:47 > 0:19:51isolate chlorophyll to help make oxygen for her tree simulator.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54But who will impress Tom the most to win a place in the next stage
0:19:54 > 0:19:55of the competition?
0:19:58 > 0:20:02All three genius inventors now have to present their ideas to Tom
0:20:02 > 0:20:04and it's Shannon to go first.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Tom is waiting for you in the presentation den,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09so if you'd like to go.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15So, can Shannon explain her bed making machine
0:20:15 > 0:20:18well enough to convince Tom to pick her?
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Hi, Shannon. Well, I'm looking forward to learning
0:20:21 > 0:20:25- about your bed making machine. Can you explain the idea to me?- Yeah.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30You press this button right here and then the arms come out
0:20:30 > 0:20:33with the bed there. Then it pulls up your cover
0:20:33 > 0:20:37and then it just looks like that, perfectly made.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42So, as if by magic, the robot makes the bed for you every morning.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Who else might benefit from this idea, do you think?
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Well, I think disabled people would use it a bit more
0:20:49 > 0:20:53because they might not be able to walk and be in a wheelchair
0:20:53 > 0:20:56and it will be really easier for them.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00OK. So people who perhaps need care or nursing or, as you say,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04disabled people as well could find it useful themselves.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07What would happen if... Imagine you were having a restless night
0:21:07 > 0:21:10and your arms were swinging around a little bit
0:21:10 > 0:21:13and you accidentally pressed the button at night.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Can you imagine what might happen?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17- If you do, it'll grab your legs. - Oh, right.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20OK, so it might make you as part of the bed as well? OK.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Did you learn anything from the expert that you spent time with?
0:21:23 > 0:21:27I learned how, on a mechanical arm,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31you can have a camera on the end and then it can see where it's going.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34So, it could work for different sized beds,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36different pillow arrangements and that kind of thing.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- Yeah.- Well, listen, I think you've done a really good presentation
0:21:40 > 0:21:43and I think its an interesting idea.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Thank you very much for presenting to me.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47You're welcome.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51With her presentation over, all Shannon can do is wait
0:21:51 > 0:21:55until the others have pitched and for Tom to make his decision.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Second up to see Tom is Caitlin.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Has she understood the technology that could make
0:22:00 > 0:22:05her tree simulator work well enough to win a place in the semifinals?
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Hi, Caitlin, can you explain the idea to me?
0:22:08 > 0:22:13Well, what the tree simulator does is it uses chlorophyll to turn
0:22:13 > 0:22:16carbon dioxide into oxygen, and it's going be used
0:22:16 > 0:22:19for areas where there aren't many trees.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Can you talk me through the diagram you've got there and explain
0:22:22 > 0:22:24to me more about the technology?
0:22:24 > 0:22:28The carbon dioxide in the air will go in here,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32and the concentrated chlorophyll will create a process
0:22:32 > 0:22:33called photosynthesis.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36This will then turn the carbon dioxide
0:22:36 > 0:22:39into oxygen, which will then go out.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Where would you see this actually being installed?
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Places like maybe cramped cities.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Places where they maybe wouldn't be many trees,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52because all of the space has been taken up by houses.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Is there anything else you would like to tell me about the idea?
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Well, we used the solar panels
0:22:59 > 0:23:05to give it some power so that it can work, and it will help
0:23:05 > 0:23:11all life on the Earth, because the cleaner...air
0:23:11 > 0:23:13with the oxygen will improve the air quality.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17Well, listen, you've done a really good presentation
0:23:17 > 0:23:19- and thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:23:21 > 0:23:28'Just like got into talking about your idea, and it became quite fun.'
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Tom's not looking for a finished idea today. He's looking to see
0:23:35 > 0:23:38which one has the most potential to cut it in the real world.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41He'll be judging them on how well they've understood the technology
0:23:41 > 0:23:44and how well they can explain their idea to him.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48- Can you explain your idea to me? - I think solar cells are going
0:23:48 > 0:23:50to play a major role in the future supply of energy for mankind.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- I have no doubt.- And I was thinking about how we could get more energy
0:23:53 > 0:23:55from our solar cells.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59I realised that if we put large solar panels
0:23:59 > 0:24:01onto a satellite around the Earth,
0:24:01 > 0:24:06we'd get 14 times more sunlight on them per square metre than the UK.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10And you could transmit this back to Earth via a microwave beam,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- which could be collected by a large receiver dish.- OK.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Over here, you can see the sun
0:24:15 > 0:24:19and the huge amount of solar energy it emits. You can see
0:24:19 > 0:24:23over here the satellite orbiting the Earth and how the solar panels
0:24:23 > 0:24:27are extremely large, compared to the central body of the satellite,
0:24:27 > 0:24:28and then the microwave beams,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30which transmit the energy back to the Earth.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Why is it necessary to go to space for it? Why can't we just optimise
0:24:33 > 0:24:36what we are producing on the surface of the Earth?
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Because the atmosphere absorbs a lot of the energy that we get
0:24:39 > 0:24:43- from the sun, and also cloudy weather is a major issue.- Yes, OK.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47Now, you spent some time with an expert. What did you learn from them?
0:24:47 > 0:24:50I learnt that you can still get a lot of energy just by orbiting
0:24:50 > 0:24:53the Earth, because my original idea was to have it orbiting the sun
0:24:53 > 0:24:55- in close proximity...- Yeah.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57..but it wasn't really feasible with today's technology.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02- OK. Because it's so far away? - It's just too far away.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04You're obviously passionate about the idea.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09- Fabulous presentation. Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12'It went differently from how I planned it in the notes,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14'in that I presented it differently, but it still went just as well.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16'I got everything across I needed to.'
0:25:16 > 0:25:21So, for two budding inventors, the competition will be over shortly,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23but who has won a place in the next round?
0:25:23 > 0:25:27Will it be Shannon with her bed-making machine?
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Caitlin with her tree simulator?
0:25:31 > 0:25:36Or Karampreet with his idea of solar space panels?
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Three very different ideas this time and they solve
0:25:39 > 0:25:41very different problems as well.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Yeah, for sure, but they reproduced great presentations
0:25:44 > 0:25:45and everybody had taken on board
0:25:45 > 0:25:46what their experts had said to them.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48So, it's been a difficult decision.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51It might have been difficult, Tom, but have you come to a decision?
0:25:51 > 0:25:54- Definitely come to a decision. - Brilliant. Well, if you'd like
0:25:54 > 0:25:57to take a seat, it's time to get the young inventors in.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00It's crunch time. They've all spent time developing their ideas
0:26:00 > 0:26:03and have pitched them to Tom,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05but who has won that place in the semifinals?
0:26:05 > 0:26:10Karampreet, Shannon, Caitlin, are you ready to hear Tom's decision?
0:26:10 > 0:26:13- ALL:- Yes.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Tom. They're ready, are you?
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Yeah, I am. ..Hi, guys. It's not been an easy decision to make, this one.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Shannon, you've got a fun idea, and I'm sure that many people would
0:26:22 > 0:26:27love it, but I do wonder whether the world really needs this invention.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31Caitlin, you've had an imaginative and wonderful idea,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35and it's a really intelligent solution to a real problem we face.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38But I do wonder whether,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41because trees need to do more than photosynthesis...perhaps
0:26:41 > 0:26:46it's a case of us having to change our cities to accommodate real trees.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Karampreet, you've got a brilliant and original idea,
0:26:50 > 0:26:51but I'm still concerned
0:26:51 > 0:26:56about the concentration of microwaves being beamed back to Earth.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00I have made my decision, and the inventor I'm going to send forward
0:27:00 > 0:27:05to the semifinals is...
0:27:14 > 0:27:18..Karampreet.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20So, Karampreet wins with his idea
0:27:20 > 0:27:23of solar space panels to send energy from the sun
0:27:23 > 0:27:27back to Earth and he's still in with a chance of winning My Genius Idea.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Congratulations! How are you feeling?
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Couldn't be better, cos these two are absolutely amazing,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34they've got brilliant ideas.
0:27:34 > 0:27:39'That's our fourth Genius Idea going through to the semifinals.'
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Next time, we'll look for another one to joint Karampreet
0:27:41 > 0:27:43in the semifinals.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47Join us next time as we try to find another Genius Idea.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:27:57 > 0:27:59E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk