We are excited to announce the winner of our 2024 annual Wisecarver Innovation Design Contest: Douglas Ortiz, a high school student from Pittsburg High School in the Pittsburg Unified School District in California. Launched during Bishop-Wisecarver’s 2024 Manufacturing Day, the Innovation Design Contest challenged students to create 8th-axis robotic solutions for real-world applications in industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and space exploration.
Douglas created an innovative invention called the Robotic Operator Forklift Friend (ROFF)—a ceiling-mounted, self-operating forklift designed to streamline warehouse operations. This creative solution for automation earned Douglas a cash prize of $250, as well as $1,000 for his school's STEM program.
Many warehouse automation solutions focus purely on speed and efficiency, but Douglas took a different approach. “I was thinking about how so many ideas are dismissed because they seem ‘silly,’” they explained. “But just because something might be fanciful or unusual doesn’t mean it can’t also be useful. I wanted to make the community more comfortable, not just focus on how to make a warehouse faster or more useful”.
Douglas Ortiz designed the Robotic Operator Forklift Friend (ROFF)—a ceiling-mounted, self-operating forklift system that optimizes warehouse space and streamlines inventory management. ROFF combines a 20-ft robotic arm mounted on a ceiling track with a floor-based system featuring a swivel base and QR code scanner. Together, they optimize storage, reduce clutter, and improve accessibility—an impressive feat for a high school student.
Douglas’ success showcases the incredible potential of young minds in engineering and automation. We also recognize Rio Danielle A. Maneclang, Marko Taylor from Pittsburg High School, and Gabrielle Love from Ygnacio Valley High School for their contributions. To all students: Keep thinking big and pushing boundaries—the future of automation starts with you!
Click here to read the full press release.
