FORT MYERS, Florida (WFTX) -- Sporting events are large part of Austan Christiaan's life, but after attending dozens of games, he noticed a recurring problem, messy and unclean stands.
Determined to find a solution, the eighth-grader has come up with an invention that could change the game for stadiums everywhere.
Austan's innovative idea involves a simple yet effective app designed to ensure the cleanliness of seats before and after events.
"You take an app and download it that comes with your seat that you paid for," Austan explains. "You take a photo of it before the event and after. To make sure that your seat's clean, and if it's not clean, it's a $50 dollar fine."
This approach aims to keep stadiums tidier and reduce cleaning costs while lessening environmental impact.
With the support of his mother, Austan filed a provisional patent application for his invention, which was showcased at the Thomas Edison Inventors Fair, an event he's been attending for eight years.
Gary Nelson, Vice President of Edison Fairs, talked about the importance of events like these in fostering young inventors' creativity and teaching them how to protect their intellectual property.
"They're learning that other people have strived to enhance our lives in the past, and now we're going to enhance it forward," Nelson states. "We're going to contribute to the future, and that's really what invention is all about."
Austan's invention earned him a $700 scholarship and an invitation to the Imagine Solutions Conference, where he will join 14 other students from Southwest Florida.
Other students will have a chance to present their ideas at the upcoming 2024 Inventors Fair, this Saturday, at Alico Arena.
