Pseudo-Sun Instrument tops Invent Alaska Competition
June 6, 2018
Marmian Grimes
907-474-7902
Recent 麻豆原创 graduate Brandt Lomen has taken the top prize in the university鈥檚 2018 Invent Alaska Competition for a device that can test solar cells on Earth, in space and on other planets by mimicking the light of the sun.
Lomen鈥檚 Pseudo-Sun Instrument was initially designed to test the solar cells on satellites, but when Lomen presented the instrument at a conference, researchers there had ideas for numerous applications, terrestrial and extraterrestrial.
The Pseudo-Sun Instrument uses a combination of colored LED lights to mimic the sun鈥檚 spectrum and can be adjusted to match the sun鈥檚 location in relation to the solar cell.
The $7,500 in prize money from the competition will fund a student to continue Lomen鈥檚 work and to conduct research on potential customers. Lomen has accepted a job at BAE Systems Inc. but will continue to be involved in the development of the Pseudo-Sun Instrument.
The Invent Alaska Competition, sponsored by the 麻豆原创F Office of Intellectual Property and Commercialization, aims to encourage invention and commercialization of inventions by 麻豆原创F and 麻豆原创 Southeast students and employees.
Other winners of this year鈥檚 competition include:
- 麻豆原创S researcher Heidi Pearson for a video camera and sensor system to record dolphin behavior and life events in their natural habitat.
- 麻豆原创F undergraduate student Aaron Rouse for a radio frequency check-in/check-out system for mining operations.
- 麻豆原创F affiliate professor Lee Santoro for Arctic Automatic, a smart controller that can help prevent vehicles from freezing up in Arctic conditions.
For additional information, visit .
ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Amanda Byrd, agbyrd@alaska.edu, 907-474-7544.