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Teen Problem Solver

Lino Marrero has loads of ideas that have led to successful inventions

April 2023
By Susan Cosier

Shutterstock.com (Background); Courtesy of the Marrero Family (All Other Images)

Lino’s invention  Kinetic Kickz have soles that collect energy when you run. He hopes it will be able to power a phone one day.

Lino, age 10, tests the String Ring

Lino Marrero became an inventor when he was just 10 years old. When he played his cello, his fingers would blister. To protect his fingers, Lino created the String Ring. It’s an adjustable band that musicians can wear while playing a stringed instrument like a cello or a guitar.

That was Lino’s first invention—and it wasn’t the last for the 16-year-old! He has a whole notebook of ideas that could help solve problems that he’s experienced. “I think there should be more inventors out there, especially kids,” he says. “Kids are really creative, and they have more of a growth mindset than adults.”

When Lino was 14, he came up with the idea of shoes that could charge devices. It came to him when his phone died at soccer practice. He didn’t have a charger, so he couldn’t call his mom to pick him up. He remembered a recent science class about energy. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head: What if he could use the energy he created when running on the soccer field to power his phone?

Lino Marrero became an inventor at 10. His fingers blistered when he played cello. Lino created the String Ring to protect them. Musicians wear the adjustable band when playing a stringed instrument like a cello or guitar.

That was Lino’s first invention. It was not his last. The 16-year-old has a whole notebook of ideas. They help solve problems he experienced. “I think there should be more inventors out there, especially kids,” he says. Children “are really creative and have more of a growth mindset than adults.”

Lino came up with shoes that could charge devices when he was 14. His phone died at soccer practice. He had no charger and no way to call his mom to pick him up. Then he remembered a science class on energy. A light bulb went off in his head. What if he used the energy he created when running on the field to power his phone?

He dove into the research, learning how to convert kinetic energy (energy of movement) into stored electric energy. He found that the energy captured from running or walking could charge a battery. He put the cords and materials that collect the energy in an insert and placed it in a shoe. There was a problem, though. The inserts made Lino’s shoes uncomfortable!

After a few more tries, Lino took the shoe apart and put the device inside the sole, which was better. In 2021, Lino entered his invention, the Kinetic Kickz, into the Invention Convention. Students across the U.S. present their inventions to judges. Lino won two awards!

Lino says he enjoys the process of developing something from an idea. “It’s a lot of trial and error and failing and failing and failing over again,” he says. “But once you finish, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

He learned how to convert energy from movement into stored electric energy. He found out energy captured from running or walking could charge a battery. He put cords and materials that collect the energy in an insert. Then he placed it in a shoe. But there was a problem. The inserts made Lino’s shoes uncomfortable!

Lino took the shoe apart. He put the device in the sole instead. It felt better. He named his invention the Kinetic Kickz. Lino entered his invention into the Invention Convention in 2021. Students across the country present their inventions to judges. Lino won two awards!

Lino loves turning an idea into an invention. “It’s a lot of failing and failing and failing over again,” he says. “But once you finish, it’s the best feeling in the world.”

EXPRESSIONS FROM TABLES

When you have a table of data that shows a relationship between two quantities, an algebraic expression can sometimes be used to represent that relationship.

EXAMPLE

Lino tested materials like rubber bands and Band-Aids to make the String Ring. For each testing session, Lino tested 2 materials, which each took 5 minutes. Write an expression to find how long it took to test m materials. How many minutes did it take to test 8 materials?

STEP 1

Determine the relationship between minutes spent testing and the number of materials.

So the minutes testing equals the number of materials times 5.

STEP 2

Write the relationship as an expression.

Minutes testing = materials × 5 = m × 5

STEP 3

Evaluate the expression for m = 8

8 × 5 = 40

So Lino spent 40 minutes testing 8 materials.

EXPRESSIONS FROM TABLES

When you have a table of data that shows a relationship between two quantities, an algebraic expression can sometimes be used to represent that relationship.

EXAMPLE

Lino tested materials like rubber bands and Band-Aids to make the String Ring. For each testing session, Lino tested 2 materials, which each took 5 minutes. Write an expression to find how long it took to test m materials. How many minutes did it take to test 8 materials?

STEP 1

Determine the relationship between minutes spent testing and the number of materials.

So the minutes testing equals the number of materials times 5.

STEP 2

Write the relationship as an expression.

Minutes testing = materials × 5 = m × 5

STEP 3

Evaluate the expression for m = 8

8 × 5 = 40

So Lino spent 40 minutes testing 8 materials.

Use the rate tables below to write and evaluate algebraic expressions about how Lino experiments to turn his ideas into reality. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

Use the rate tables below to write and evaluate algebraic expressions about how Lino experiments to turn his ideas into reality. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

A. Before Kinetic Kickz, Lino invented shoes with replaceable soles. The table below shows how many soles come in each package. Complete the table with an expression for how many soles are in s packages.

A. Before Kinetic Kickz, Lino invented shoes with replaceable soles. The table below shows how many soles come in each package. Complete the table with an expression for how many soles are in s packages.

B. How many soles are in 4 packages?

B. How many soles are in 4 packages?

A. Lino hopes a short walk in Kinetic Kickz will fully charge a phone. The table below shows the relationship between charging a dead phone and time walking. Complete the table with an expression for a phone’s charge after t minutes of walking.

A. Lino hopes a short walk in Kinetic Kickz will fully charge a phone. The table below shows the relationship between charging a dead phone and time walking. Complete the table with an expression for a phone’s charge after t minutes of walking.

B. What charge would a phone have after 55 minutes of walking?

B. What charge would a phone have after 55 minutes of walking?

A. Every one of Lino’s successful inventions results from at least 5 failures as he improves his inventions. Complete the table with an expression for how many successes result from f  failures.

A. Every one of Lino’s successful inventions results from at least 5 failures as he improves his inventions. Complete the table with an expression for how many successes result from f  failures.

B. How many successes would Lino expect to result from 75 failures?

B. How many successes would Lino expect to result from 75 failures?

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