Intel Science Competition

N E W   Y O R K, March 12 -- A Colorado high school student has won first place in the 60th annual Science Talent Search competition for inventing a glove that translates sign language.

Ryan Patterson won a $100,000 scholarship for his invention, which converts American sign language into text on a portable screen.

Patterson, an 18-year-old senior at Central High School inGrand Junction, began working on the translator after observing a group of people signing at a fast food restaurant, and realizing that they needed an interpreter to order their food.

"I thought it would be easier for them to go and run errands, that type of thing, if they had an electronic interpreter to make them more independent," Patterson said on ABCNEWS' Good Morning America. "So I decided to give it a try."

Patterson's project is the latest example of a lifelong interest in scientific research, especially in electricity and electronics. By the third grade, he was wiring and soldering circuit boards. By the seventh grade, he had taught himself how to integrate simple microcontrollers into his projects.

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Patterson now incorporates high-power, high-speed microcontrollers, such as the one used on his sign language translator. He hopes to continue developing electronic devices, particularly to benefit disabled people.

Each year the Science Talent Search, sponsored by Intel since 1998, helps the nation find and encourage especially talented high school seniors to pursue careers in science, math, engineering and medicine.

After the search narrows entries down to 300 semifinalists, 40 finalists are chosen to attend the Science Talent Institute in Washington, D.C. The finalists participate in a final judging process and share in $530,000 in scholarships.Candidates are judged by a board of 10 distinguished scientists from a variety of disciplines.

The award is considered "the junior Nobel Prize" by many in the field of science. Past winners include nine Nobel laureates, nine MacArthur Foundation fellows and two Fields medalists.