Marian Bechtel, 17-Year-Old Musician, Inspired By Piano To Invent Land Mine Detector

Meet Marian Bechtel. She's a 17-year-old pianist, scientist, 2012 Intel Talent Search finalist, and passionate anti-war activist. Oh, and a normal high school student in Pennsylvania.

Bechtel invented a low-cost device that can act as a prototype for a new type of mine sweeper. Using sound waves to determine where explosives are located, the device is a standard metal detector equipped with microphones and a seismic vibrator. Her idea came about when she played certain notes on the piano and noticed that the strings of a nearby banjo would vibrate -- she then decided to investigate whether the same principle could be applied to detecting landmines in warzones.

Bechtel's project was also inspired by her parents' work in geology. "Years ago they got connected with an international group of scientists working on a project called RASCAN, developing a holographic radar device for detecting land mines," she told MSNBC. "I met all of these scientists and talked with them about their work and the land mine issue. I was really touched and inspired by what they had to say."

Marian was in good company with her fellow Intel Science Talent Search 2012 finalists. Seventeen-year-old grand Prize winner Nithin Tumma won $100,000 for his pioneering breast cancer research. And although she didn't win, finalist Samantha Garvey, a homeless New York high school student, won a $50,000 scholarship, appeared on "The Ellen Show," and was invited to hear Obama speak at the White House.

Are you inspired by these incredible young scientists? Share your thoughts in the comments or tweet @HuffPostTeen.

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Comments

[Sundex]

09:38 AM on 04/05/2012

Its heartening to know that inspite of all the problems we face in our society right now, there some very bright people coming along that provide people like me with some tangible hope.

I hope they don't get poisoned by the minds associated with the present state political events in the United States.

[FHP]

09:34 AM on 04/05/2012

From time to time I really need to see inspiring young people like Ms. Bechtel to lose some of my cynicism about current youth culture and education. She seems incredible mature for her age and is very well spoken.
Imagine, if we as a society, would celebrate people like her with the same amount of (sick) fervor as reality TV "celebrities". Imagine what would be possible if most of our political leaders would come from the field of science and engineering instead of law and finance.

[iLdoRight]

08:40 PM on 04/04/2012

If she or someone like her would have been setting beside me in High School Chemistry my poor heart would have been captivated and also lost, because she probably would not have been the kind of person who would have seen the right value in a religious fanatic like me. Ever had that feeling ?

[the biker]

06:36 PM on 04/04/2012

they are the future.

[Eris23Skidoo]

02:40 PM on 04/04/2012

Maybe she is this generation's Alfred Bell!!!

[bagelmart]

02:18 AM on 04/04/2012

The only thing we learn from history is that we never learn from it.

[mflorian]

01:56 AM on 04/04/2012

The kids are all right. =)

[Godweiser]

01:52 AM on 04/04/2012

Excellent. This girl can be proud of what she's done; she's saving lives.

[simfony]

12:51 AM on 04/04/2012

HP this should be a bold headline-for a long time! Way to go Kiddo, with people like you-theres hope for the younger generation. God bless!

[jimg4805]

01:44 AM on 04/05/2012

I would go a step further and say that with people like these young kids there is hope for the world. They are truly amazing

[caveman1313]

12:48 AM on 04/04/2012

the first version of the device consisted of a piano that was pushed into a mine field by a bulldozer. when the wheels of the piano crossed over a landmine the mine would exploded, thus locating the mine.

[zwaki]

04:34 PM on 04/04/2012

They had to drag the piano upside down. The legs broke off.

[Toolslinger]

12:44 AM on 04/04/2012

It's great to see young people looking at having a future, making the world a better, safer place instead of getting on the greed train of corporate America. That train needs to be derailed to make the world a better place.

[Vin Rohm]

12:31 AM on 04/04/2012

Weve known about sympathetic sonic vibrations for a long time. Sometimes it takes new eyes to see new uses for old tools. Good for her!

[momofvegasgirls]

12:28 AM on 04/04/2012

I wonder if she has any family connection to Bechtel Corporation?? The are a HUGE gov't contractor, and according to wikipedia, the largest engineering corporation in the United States.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechtel

[djuno1966]

12:28 AM on 04/04/2012

Very proud of these young people for their creative thinking.
As aretired Marine starting in 1966, I became an expert of defusing mines, bouncing betties, claymores, and now most mines are plastic, gelnite, cig boxes, coke cans, even corpses, and our own air dropped mines are so minute, so spread out, the fields are swept with a thresher on a D9 catapiller.

The young man with the breast cancer detection, the world can always use good, healthy breasts..

I put my money on the homeless kid for greatness

[Heavenhound]

12:23 AM on 04/04/2012

To all the pooh-poohers in this thread: She's actually done something. Have you? Whether this particular thing works or not, she has stimulated inquiry into a path toward solving one of the world's deadliest problems, and I doubt her work on this project will stop here. Bless you, Marian Bechtel. Best wishes on all your future efforts.