The college student who designed a prize-winning garment for the homeless

College student, Aya Ayoubi has won a prestigious prize for her efforts to design a portable clothing/sleep solution for homeless people in Atlanta, Georgia.

Georgia Tech student Ayoubi, who is natively from Jordan, wanted to create something to help Atlanta’s homeless population, while fulfilling a desire to help similarly disadvantaged people she had observed as a child.

“I’m from Jordan and my country has a big refugee crisis; it is very heartbreaking,” she explained. “I actually want it to alleviate the circumstances they go through and improve their standard of living.”

Her efforts to use design to help out resulted in the ‘Delta Jacket’ – a garment that’s inflatable to rest on and a coat that adapts to weather changes. It reflects heat in the summer and traps warmth in winter.

The design won Ayoubi a prestigious award: Georgia Tech’s InVenture 1st prize, along with the People’s choice award. It comes with a cash prize of $20,000 dollars and a free US patent filing by Georgia Tech’s Office of Technology Licensing.

View the original video here.

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