Boy invents to improve the water bowl

Good inventors are constantly tinkering with their inventions.

Connecticut second-grader Ethan Mott — inventor of the “Flashing Dogbowl” — has been tinkering with his invention ever since he created it.

He went to the National Invention Convention in Dearborn, Mich., held the first weekend of June, to accept a national award.

“I was originally going to make it flash, but I decided it was going to be scary for a dog maybe, so I changed it to a straight lightbulb,” Ethan said of one of the many changes he’s made.

Ethan took third place in the kindergarten to second-grade category, and will join other young inventors from across the country at the convention at the Henry Ford Museum.

Ethan, 8, was honored dur- ing an assembly at Southeast Elementary School in Mansfield, Conn., on May 5. He talked about his invention and Principal Lauren Rodriguez played his YouTube video showcasing the dog bowl.

Ethan’s invention alerts dog owners when their pet’s water bowl is nearly empty. The 8-year-old said his dog drank out of a clear water bowl and he never knew when it was empty.

The invention is made up of a wooden box that holds a water bowl. When the water is low, a light activates notifying the owner that more water needs to be placed in the bowl.

“It was hard to tell because the bowl was clear and the water was clear,” Ethan said of his own experi encesoffill- ing his dog’s water bowl. “So nowit’saneasierwaytot ell because there is a weight sen- sor and it pushes down so you know when your dog needs more water because the light- bulb comes on.”

Susan Irvine, the teacher who runs the invention program at Southeast Elementary, said Ethan was never satisfied with his invention. And that’s a good thing.

“I think wha t made h im stand out from others is he went through the whole pro- cess,’’ she said. “He had a great idea. Lots of people have great ideas, but he followed through, improved his idea, modified it when he thought through about the flashing might bother the dog. He changed it from cardboard to wood. He spent a lot of time going beyond just the idea and the whole inventing process.”

So what’s next after getting hisaward?

“Get this in a store maybe? ButIthinkIhavetogetapatent first before I ask Petco,” Ethan said.