Liam David Age: 15 Student
Arlington, VA UNDER THIRTY A
t just 15 years old, Liam David is already an experienced additive manufacturing engi- neer. When he was in eighth grade, his class was presented with a real-life manufacturing challenge: design an assistive device for a young man in their community who was unable to use his hands due to minimal muscle control. Confined to a wheel- chair, this young man used a touch-screen computer to communicate. However, to select words on the touch-screen, he was using a crude, homemade device that consisted of a PVC pipe, a pencil, and a fabric hook.
Liam and his classmates began by brainstorming and sketching different design options. Liam’s con- cept was selected. His design consisted of a flexible piece of plastic, which attaches to the top of the young man’s hand with a strap. At the front is a threaded hole, which al- lows for various attachments. “The threaded hole is a key component of our design, because we can always design more attachments based on his needs,” Liam said. The attachments include a laser pointer, a stylus for a touch-screen, and even eating utensils. Liam used Autodesk Fusion 360 software to design his proto- type, which was tested and redesigned as necessary. “Because he has no fine motor skills, this device will
really help him communicate and better take care of himself,” Liam said. “These are the same design tools and prototyping processes that the manufacturing industry leverages
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every day,” said Rebecca Wong, Autodesk, who nomi- nated Liam. “The fact that Liam is doing all of this while in eighth grade is very impressive.” For this project, Liam received the Make a Differ-
ence Award at Autodesk University in Las Vegas in 2014, where he presented his design process for the device and was the youngest attendee at the event. Liam’s other major project is an inertial electrostatic confinement nuclear fusion reactor. This self-funded machine will be fully capable of producing a nuclear fusion reaction. It will use high voltages and a vacuum chamber to fuse deuterium, an isotope of hydrogen, into helium.
“These are the same design tools and prototyping processes that the manufacturing industry leverages every day,” said Rebecca Wong, Autodesk, who nominated Liam. “The fact that Liam is doing all of this while in eighth grade is very impressive.”
His long-term goal for the project is to design and construct a nuclear fusion reactor that produces net electricity output, which would provide an energy source that is sustainable and carbon-free, produces no radioac- tive waste, and does not have the dangers of conventional nuclear fission. He already has a working proto-
type constructed in his family’s basement. This labor of love has been a two-year project, and today, he is consistently able to produce plasma. When he’s not changing lives, Liam competes—and often wins first place—in science and engineering fairs. He has presented his projects for these competi- tions to national organizations. Fascinated by physics, chemistry, and neuroscience, Liam hopes to earn a PhD in physics and work on solving the greatest mys- teries in the universe.
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