Not Impossible Names 2018 Award Winners To Be Honored During CES® 2018 In Las Vegas

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Not Impossible has named the winners of the second annual Not Impossible Awards, powered by Avnet, which recognize and celebrate people, companies, technology, and transformational inventions that help bring positive change to the global community. The five winners will be featured at Not Impossible's booth at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES® 2018) January 9-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada and honored at an awards show event on January 11 at Zappos Headquarters in Downtown Las Vegas.

"These awards drew an incredibly diverse and impressive group of innovators and organizations and the scope and creativity of their projects is truly inspiring," said Mick Ebeling, Founder and CEO of Not Impossible. "With projects ranging from DNA analysis that can be completed in under two hours to an off-the-shelf, connected diagnostic tool that precisely measures cognitive function, it's really incredible to see the impact technology can have on the lives of those in need. The Not Impossible Awards show what is truly possible when we commit to figuring out how technology can make the impossible 'not impossible.'"

Honoring innovations that celebrate technology for the sake of humanity worldwide, all Not Impossible Award submissions were evaluated on their ability to address issues of need and inaccessibility through original, cutting-edge technologies. The winners of the 2018 Not Impossible Awards are: 

The Not Impossible Commitment Award

2018 Winner: ANDE Rapid DNA Identification Technology
For their Dedication to Evolving Tools to Progress Public Safety
The ANDE system performs Rapid DNA Identification--the fully-automated generation and interpretation of DNA IDs--in less than two hours, outside the lab, by non-technical users. Moving DNA from the lab to the field enables Law Enforcement, the Military, and Homeland Security to identify criminals quickly. Conventional laboratory technology can take months to years to process DNA evidence—ANDE is revolutionizing the field by generating high-quality DNA IDs quickly, when and where the results matter most.

The Not Impossible Limitless Award
Made Possible by No Barriers

2018 Winner: BecDot
For their Ability to Break Through Barriers
Jacob Lacourse's young daughter Rebecca was born with Usher Syndrome which has rendered her blind and deaf. Inspired by his desire to give her the best opportunities possible in life, Jacob set out to design a toy that can teach braille concepts to children as young as toddlers. Not only is BecDot an accessible tool that can be used in schools everywhere to increase early braille literacy, a special tagging system can allow parents to integrate their children's favorite toys as tools to help make literacy tangible for their children at an early age.

The Not Impossible Connectivity Award
Made Possible by Avnet

2018 Winner: DCTclock
For their Utilization of Connected Devices to Improve Lives
The analogue Clock Drawing Test has been used for decades by health care providers as a way to detect cognitive impairment from Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's. An inspired husband/wife team out of MIT evolved the technique to create DCTclock, a diagnostic tool that leverages data and connectivity to transform the familiar Clock Drawing Test into a precise measure of cognitive function that can lead to early detection, better care, and increased quality of life.

The Not Impossible Ignition Award
Made Possible by National Grid and Hawaiian Electric Company

2018 Winner: OffGridBox
For their Commitment to Accessible Energy
OffGridBox is a modular and compact unit that provides renewable energy and treated water in off-the-grid areas. Set up in under three hours, OffGridBox is transforming communities across the world in developing countries and places recovering from disaster. Units installed in Rwanda are piloting the pay-as-you-go business model that is cheaper than what is locally available. For a few cents a day, people will be able to access clean water and sustainable power at a station continually attended by local hires.

The Not Impossible Vitality Award      
Made Possible by Blue Cross Blue Shield

2018 Winner: VR-Project Δ and VR-Qualis Est Vita
For their Innovation in Healthcare       
VR-Δ (change) and VR-qualis est vita (quality of life) are in development by Dr. Patrick Bordnick, dean and professor from the Tulane School of Social Work. VR-Δ will put patients into realistic virtual worlds using smartphone-based VR, recreating situations that identify and trigger cravings akin to drug and alcohol addiction. This tool allows for individualized patient diagnostics and aids in treatment by teaching coping mechanisms to avoid relapse. VR-qualis est vita repurposes the technology of VR- Δ, and transforms it to create new environments for children and adults with autism to develop interpersonal skills.

Each winner will receive mentorship and resources to incubate and accelerate their work through participation in strategic partnerships across the Not Impossible network, which is comprised of leaders from across a diverse range of industries and backgrounds. Additionally, Not Impossible will produce premium video content focused on each recipient to tell the story of the incredible impact they are making on the world.

The 2018 Not Impossible Awards Advisory council includes:

• Mick Ebeling: Founder & CEO, Not Impossible Labs
• Kevin Sellers: SVP & CMO, Avnet
• Jim Fusaro: SVP Global Solutions Development, Avnet
• Maureen Sullivan: Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
• Dan J. Hilferty III: President & CEO, Independence Blue Cross, Inc.
• Erik Weihenmayer: Climber, author, activist,& co-founder of No Barriers USA
• Katherine Keating: Publisher, VICE Impact
• Bonnie St. John: CEO, Blue Circle Leadership Institute
• Amy Smith: Chief Giving Officer, TOMS
• Scott Smiley: Founder, Hope Unseen
• Kevin Wall: Producer, digital entrepreneur, environmental activist and technology investor
• Drew Fitzgerald: Founder & CEO, JUST Water
• Mallory Weggemann: Paralympic Gold Medalist

For more information, please visit www.notimpossible.com/awards and connect with Not Impossible on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

This year's awards are made possible by Avnet, Blue Cross Blue Shield, National Grid, Hawaiian Electric Company, No Barriers USA, Zappos, and Fiserv in partnership with the Consumer Technology Association, Team One, Sunken City and Gold Sky Productions.

About Not Impossible Labs
Launched in 2009, Not Impossible Labs crowd-solves issues of inability and inaccessibility through Technology for the Sake of Humanity and provides low-cost solutions that allow the most vulnerable among us to survive and thrive. Not Impossible Labs disrupts the status quo through a cycle of collaboration and impactful innovation paired with Help One, Help Many storytelling.

Not Impossible Lab's initiatives each identify an absurdity in our modern world and then dedicate to making a difference for those impacted with a promise to Commit… Then Figure It Out. Through listening and deep discovery, Not Impossible Labs develops a bold intention to address this absurdity and take ambitious action steps to make real impact in order to Make the Impossible, Not Impossible.

Not Impossible Labs has been awarded Cannes Lions, CLIO Awards, SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards, Telly Awards, and numerous other honors for both technology and creative work.

About Mick Ebeling, Not Impossible Founder and CEO
A recipient of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award & listed as one of the most influential creative people by The Creativity 50's, Mick Ebeling has sparked a movement of pragmatic, inspirational innovation; harvesting the power of technology & story to change the world. Ebeling founded Not Impossible Labs, a multiple award-winning social innovation lab & production company, on the premise that nothing is impossible. His mantra of 'commit, then figure it out' allows him to convene a disparate team of hackers, doers, makers and thinkers to create devices that better the world by bringing accessibility for all. Ebeling's style of fearless innovation has resulted in disruptive technological development across multiple industries & inspired collaboration around the world.

Media Contacts:

Joseph Babarsky
Not Impossible 
[email protected] 
434.882.2659

Julia Hannon
Porter Novelli
[email protected] 
212.601.8234

[Download Not Impossible Awards Logo]

SOURCE Not Impossible