A few months ago, we showcased 10-year-old mini genius Bishop Curry V, who invented a device that would prevent hot car deaths. Attached to the car seat or backseat of the driver/passenger headrests, the device — called “oasis” — would be able to detect if a child is left inside a vehicle and blow cool air until their parents and authorities are notified.  

Since then, it looks like there’s been some major progress! Per the New York Post, since we last reported about the fifth grader, his device has raised over $20,000 in a GoFundMe campaign! With the potential patent expected to be approved within a year, he also has a 3-D model of the life-saving device!

Equipped with the brains and a good heart, Curry V’s inspiration for the invention came from a tragic death. “When a baby named Fern died down the street (from a hot car death), I came up with the idea because it was on the news and everything,” he said.

Unfortunately, this tragic occurrence happens far too often. Per a San Jose State University study organized with the help of meteorologist Jan Null, 712 children have died from heatstroke after being left in a hot car since 1998. In this year alone, 12 have been reported and we haven’t even reached the second half of the year yet.

“Sadly it has remained flat,” Null noted. “There really hasn’t been in the overall numbers of 37 average deaths per year in the U.S., that number hasn’t changed much.”

While Null of course leaves room for development to test the effectiveness, he notes this is a positive start in the right direction, saying “The whole discussion needs to be put into context. Every device that saves a life is obviously a good one. The amount of penetration that they can have and the good they can do is minimized by how many can get put into cars.”

We’re definitely team Curry V and we look forward to see how this develops!