Londonderry News

The Inventioneers, Londonderry’s home-schooled FIRST Lego League Robotics Team, have a new prototype for cars that parents will love and teens are likely going to hate.

Londonderry Inventioneers (from left) TJ Evarts, Bryeton Evarts, Emily Balcom, Kate Balcom and Jaiden Evarts examine the pressure-sensitive technology that comprises the core of the team's text-message deterrent. Photo by Alec O'Meara

“We feel texting and driving is the new driving under the influence; that is why we are calling it driving under the influence of texting,” said 14-year-old Tristan “TJ” Evarts, a senior member of the team. “Our machine offers immediate reinforcement not to do it.”

The invention, built from the ground up by the team, relies on the same sort of technology that reminds drivers to fasten seatbelts, Inventioneer Paige Balcom said. Slip the prototype on the steering wheel, and pressure sensors measure where a driver’s hands are located. If the hands get close enough to one another for thumbs to cover a mini keyboard, a loud alarm sounds. Removing one hand to adjust the radio or signal a turn is allowed, thanks to a three-second delay.

The alarm sounds only if the car is moving, meaning drivers can have a sip of coffee or bite of a burger at a stoplight, Evarts said.

Read the full story that was “Top of the fold” front page on the Union Leader Friday morning by Alec O’Meara, “FIRST team wants to stop texting while driving” Major coverage for these students!  Lots of positive comments on the story on the UL site.

Like to view two more photos of the team? Read the rest of the story!

Inventioneers Kate Balcom (left) and TJ Evarts demonstrate the team's state championship FIRST LEGO League robot yesterday at the Evarts home in Londonderry. Photo by Alec O'Meara

The Inventioneers (from left) TJ Evarts, Emily Balcom, Paige Balcom, Jaiden Evarts, Kate Balcom and Bryeton Evarts demonstrate the team's prototype text-and-drive deterrent. The team won its fourth straight state title last week and is working with Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study the effectiveness of their invention. Photo by Alec O'Meara