Vibrating vest for deaf people, page-turning device: U of S inventors tackle tricky projects

We want your problems: That's the rallying cry of a University of Saskatchewan collective made up of engineering and science students on a mission to make the world a better place.

They call themselves SaskInvent. 

"We essentially look for problems in society and help solve them," Brandon Thompson told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

"We put the word out that we are looking for ideas."

Here's what they've invented already:

• A music system with a vibrating vest for people who are deaf.
• A page-turning device for people who physically cannot do it themselves.
• 3D printed prosthetics for children.
• A therapy device to help hand rehabilitation.
• Research on using light to help prevent seizures.

New problems needed

For three years now, with an ever-changing membership, SaskInvent has been taking the knowledge they soak up in university classes and applying it to the real life problems that people are experiencing.

"A lot of our members want to help people," said Thompson.

"There isn't any money and it's not related to classes ... The nice thing is, though, that you are actually applying stuff that you want to do. A lot of times in classes, let's say, you have to do stuff for the curriculum, but now you can take what you want and apply it."

SaskInvent is now nearing the end of its projects, which is why it has issued this urgent plea for ideas — problems to keep them busy in the coming year.

The group is asking people to contact them through their website.