Do you have an idea to change the world? That’s what we asked the 2013 Google Science Fair participants back in January. Students aged 13-18 around the world met our challenge, including 14 year old Viney Kumar from Knox Grammar School in Sydney, who has just been announced as the winner of the 13-14 year category.

Viney created an Android app which alerts drivers when an emergency vehicle is approaching so they can get out of the way. He was inspired to create his project while in India, where he saw ambulances stuck in traffic jams and unable to move. Viney’s PART (Police and Ambulance Regulating Traffic) gives drivers warnings that an emergency vehicle is approaching from up to 800 metres away, providing drivers with much more warning than the traditional sirens or flashing lights can provide.

This potentially life saving innovation was one of 15 projects selected from thousands of entries by talented young scientists from more than 120 countries around the world. Earlier today, the 15 global finalists presented their projects to a panel of esteemed judges at Google headquarters in California. The judges were wowed by the finalists’ passion for science and their drive to change the world.

Viney Kumar with Ann Makosinski, Elif Bilgin and Eric Chen

These projects were impressive and represented a vast range of scientific ingenuity—from a system which can diagnose melanoma cancers early to the invention of a metallic exoskeleton glove that helps people who suffer from upper hand disabilities move more easily.

Ann Makosinski from Canada won the 15-16 age category for her project The Hollow Flashlight , a heat-powered flashlight that provides bright light without batteries or moving parts, and Eric Chen from the USA won both the 17-18 age category and the Grand Prize for his project , which combines computer modeling and biological studies to look at influenza endonuclease inhibitors in order to find new anti-flu medicine Elif Bilgin, from Turkey was also announced as the “ Scientific American” Science in Action award and the winner of the Voter’s Choice award with her project creating plastic from banana peel.

Each of the winners will receive prizes from Google and our Science Fair partners: CERN , LEGO , National Geographic and “ Scientific American .” As part of his prize Viney will receive a $25,000 education scholarship and a CERN, LEGO or Google experience. Congratulations to Viney and thanks to all our 2013 finalists for their amazing projects and love for science.

Viney’s schoolmates watch the awards ceremony live from Sydney

For updates on next year’s competition, see the Google Science Fair website. Science and technology are crucial to solving many of the world’s greatest challenges. We started the Google Science Fair to support and foster the next generation of scientists and engineers. We look forward to seeing you change the world!

Posted by Clare Conway, Google Science Fair team