A flotation device for a wheelchair, in the event of a flood or storm. Sugar-free popsicles geared toward people with diabetes. A chair designed for people on the autism spectrum, and a chair attachment for those with issues focusing.

These are some of the inventions that landed local elementary and middle school students an invitation to the 2018 National Invention Convention and Entrepreneurship Expo May 31-June 2 at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich.

And this was no easy feat.

The Connecticut Invention Convention began with 17,000 student participants, and after district and regional events, 800 made it to the state finals on April 28, Executive Director Ron Katz said.

From there, 166 students in third through 11th grades were invited to attend NICEE, while another 14 students in kindergarten through second grade were invited to participate via video.

Mie Green, a third-grade student at Catherine Kolnaski Magnet School in Groton, designed The Benny Chair. It's named for her brother, a 3-year-old with autism and sensory processing disorder.

"I wanted him to be able to sit with me longer at dinner," she said.

Placed atop the chair is an Ergo-Drive cooling cushion. On each side is a fidget spinner, a light-switch flicker and a basting brush, to keep the hands busy. A rubber band is wrapped around the legs of the chair, while an adjustable footstool slides in and out from underneath.

"Even though he can't speak too well, he says, 'No, my chair!' whenever anyone tries to sit on it at home," Mie said of her brother.

Her mother, Naomi Green, said that products online designed for children on the spectrum tend to be expensive, but Mie's invention cost under $50 to make.

In a similar vein, Lyme Consolidated School fifth-grader Eli Goldberg invented Focus Friend, designed for kids with attention deficit disorder, or ADD, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, or anyone who is fidgety or has trouble focusing.

The Focus Friend involves a saucer sled with two foam balls affixed to one side, and it straps onto a chair so that the foam balls press up against the sitter's back. Through the design process, Eli got some advice from an engineer.

"They said their bosses always tell them to sit straight," he said, "so the bottom ball sticks out more than the top one, so your back is straight."

It allows sitters to rock back and forth without disrupting the class. The second component of Focus Friend is a dishrack with tennis balls glued on, which goes underneath the desk, for people to roll their feet on.

Simon Karpinski, also a fifth-grader at Lyme Consolidated, invented a device to count students when they enter and exit the bus, to make sure none are left on the bus.

Using a potty from Walmart, Mckenzie Brown, a student at the Sixth Grade Academy at Teachers' Memorial in Norwich, made a self-cleaning "Super Toilet." His inspiration was that "some public bathrooms stink."

Mckenzie is excited to go to the national convention, though his mother noted she'll be trying to do fundraising for it through a GoFundMe page or the school.

Isabella Hill, a sixth-grader at the Dual Language and Arts Magnet Middle School in Waterford, constructed a baby changing table that folds into a carrying case. Bailey DeCoster, a fifth-grader at Great Neck Elementary School in Waterford, created a stand that keeps a cellphone elevated over a bed. Tatiana Pemberton, a fifth-grader at C.B. Jennings Elementary School in New London, crafted a "Beauty Board" with hooks and pockets for jewelry and more.

Anna Eichholz, a fifth-grader at Mile Creek School in Old Lyme, designed a flotation device for a wheelchair. North Stonington Elementary School fifth-grader Anshi Patel made sugar-free popsicles geared toward people with diabetes.

"A lot of the kids have surprising empathy, really," Katz said. "They see not only issues in their own lives but issues in the lives of others. Very often it's family members."

In the past, he said he's seen students try to come up with a solution to young children getting left in hot cars during the summer, and find a way to identify foods on a menu that might trigger an allergic reaction.

Katz explained that Connecticut Invention Convention was founded in 1983 by educators "who felt that our schools were not doing enough to teach our students about problem-solving."

e.moser@theday.com