Toyota Announces Finalists in "Ideas for Good" Challenge

TORRANCE, Calif., April 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. has announced the 25 finalists in its Ideas for Good challenge, a unique initiative centered on what the company has been doing for many years: repurposing its innovative automotive technology to benefit society in the non-automotive space. These finalists will now compete for the public's votes in an attempt to bring their ideas to life during a prototyping session in June.

From November 8, 2010 through February 28, 2011, consumers were invited to share their ideas on how to repurpose five distinct Toyota technologies to create new, non-automotive applications which ultimately benefit society. Over 4,000 submissions were evaluated by a panel of independent judges, including Joel Stitzel, Ph.D. of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center; Keith Grossman of WIRED magazine; Grace Hawthorne of Hasso Platner Institute of Design at Stanford University; Jake Ward of Popular Science magazine and Josh Morenstein of fuseproject. The panel identified the following as the top 25 submissions—five ideas inspired by each of the Toyota technologies featured in the Ideas for Good program:

Total HUman Model for Safety (T.H.U.M.S.)

• Active Brace to Prevent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture submitted by Aureliu P.
• T.H.U.M.S. for EMTs submitted by Dawit B.
• T.H.U.M.S. Rehabilitation submitted by Hoyt J.
• Protecting the Elderly from Injuries Due to Falling submitted by Roberta S.
• Build a Better Bicycle Helmet submitted by Stu S.

Solar Powered Ventilation System

• Crop Drying with Solar Powered Ventilation System submitted by Andy W.
• Self-contained Mobile Water Purification Unit submitted by Stephen B.
• Solar Powered Ventilation for Safer, Greener Aerobic Landfills submitted by Steven C.
• Pure Air submitted by Tim W.
• Solar Ventilation of Sewage Pipelines submitted by Zahid K.

Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD)

• Power Plant Gym submitted by Birken S.
• Medical Ventilators for Disaster Use submitted by Joel S.
• Windmill Braking submitted by Mena E.
• Kinetically Powered Prostheses submitted by Michael C.
• HSD to Assist Wheelchair Bound Persons submitted by Rodney Q.

Advanced Parking Guidance System

• Self Regulated Shopping Cart submitted by Brian T.
• Automated Firefighting Extension Ladder Guidance System submitted by Fran O.
• Door Assist System for Power Wheelchairs submitted by Jeremy B.
• AHTS: Advanced Hospital Transportation System submitted by John C.
• Guidance System for the Disabled submitted by Vernie R.

Touch Tracer Display

• Musical Touch: A Learning Tool submitted by Bruce L.
• Touch Tracer Computer Mouse, Keyboard and Monitor submitted by David C.
• Surgical Robot/Laparoscopic Touch Tracer Display submitted by David H.
• Firefighters Critical Status Display submitted by Justin E.
• Walking Again Through Touch Tracer submitted by Sheila B.

The next phase of the challenge asks the public to vote for its favorite idea in each category through April 30, 2011. The total number of public votes combined with the judges' scores will determine the top five ideas. Winners will be announced on May 9, 2011, with a design and prototyping session to follow in June. In addition to the opportunity to bring his or her idea to life, each winner will also receive their choice of one of three Toyota vehicles: the Highlander Hybrid, Prius or Venza.

To learn more about the 25 finalist ideas and cast your vote, visit www.toyota.com/ideasforgood.

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion.  Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.76 million vehicles in 2010.  Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

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SOURCE Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.