Regional Winners of 34th Annual Exploravision Competition Announced by Toshiba, National Science Teaching Association

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MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 12, 2026--

Toshiba and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) announced today the regional winners of the 34th annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision program, the world’s largest K-12 science competition designed to build problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration skills that are central to the Next Generation Science Standards.

This year’s regional winners’ projects include innovative ideas ranging from a new structural health monitoring system to detect damage in concrete to using AI to diagnose Osteosarcoma. The 24 regional winning teams will receive an awards ceremony at their school where they will receive Chromebooks to support the creation of a prototype, virtual posters, team websites, and short videos showcasing the team’s technology for the national judging phase of the competition.

“Toshiba believes the future is built by those who are willing to explore it,” said Tom Kumagai, Chairman & CEO, Toshiba America, Inc. “The creativity, communication, and collaboration skills learned while participating in ExploraVision empowers students to move beyond textbooks to tackle the real-world challenges of today. The sparkle I see when students showcase there is awe-inspiring and clearly shows that the future of innovation is within the capable hands of these young minds.”

ExploraVision participants are challenged to envision a new technology 10 or more years in the future through collaborative brainstorming and research of a current technology. Using scientific research and engineering design, students outlined methods to plan their ideas. In the national judging phase of the competition, the winning regional teams are asked to build a prototype, design a website, and create a short video to present their ideas to the public.

“ExploraVision demonstrates what’s possible when students are empowered to think boldly and apply science to real-world challenges,” said NSTA President Beverly DeVore-Wedding, Ph.D. “These regional winners embody the creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking that drive innovation forward. Their accomplishments reflect not only their talent and dedication, but also the impact of outstanding educators who inspire students to develop solutions that can improve lives and strengthen communities.”

Some of the winning solutions included:

• Medical Technology Innovations: Several winning regional projects focused on innovations to improve the life of individuals including a sock that can detect abnormalities as a person walks and transmits the data to medical professionals for a treatment plan, a tooth-borne retainer monitoring health through saliva analysis, a non-invasive oxygen delivery wearable patch inspired by fish gills and frog skin respiration, and a contact lens that measures retinal blood flow to predict migraine attacks before the symptoms begin.
• Energy and Power Technology Innovations: A middle school team proposed a new method for controlling the direction of heat flow without fans, fluids, or external power.
• Lifesaving Innovations: An elementary team proposed an underwater robot that could rescue someone who may be drowning by using a drone camera and AI to monitor swimmers for signs of drowning.

In the next phase of the competition, the 24 regional winners will advance to national judging. Four first- place and four second-place teams will be selected as national winners. Members of first-place national winning teams each receive a $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). Members of second-place national winning teams will each receive a $5,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond (at maturity). All first- and second-place national winners will be formally recognized for their creativity and accomplishments at an ExploraVision awards ceremony on June 5th.

Since its inception in 1992, close to 450,000 students from across the United States and Canada have participated in the ExploraVision program. For 34 consecutive years, the program has helped students expand their imagination and experience the excitement of innovation while developing an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education at an early age. To learn more, visit https://www.exploravision.org/.

For more information, visit www.exploravision.org or email [email protected]. Follow ExploraVision on X at @ToshibaAmerica, Instagram at @Toshiba_STEMEducation, or join the ExploraVision Facebook Fan Page at www.Facebook.com/ToshibaAmerica.

About Toshiba

In 2026, following the celebration of its 150th anniversary in 2025,Toshiba Groupcontinues to enhance its management structure, streamline operations, and invest in forward‑looking businesses to build foundations for new growth. This will allow it to continue to support advances toward a sustainable future with products and services developed by its wide range of businesses in the energy, digital infrastructure, and electronic devices domains. Guided by its corporate philosophy, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future.,” Toshiba brings industry‑leading capabilities in green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX) to solutions for companies addressing the many challenges faced by modern society. By leveraging the power of data derived from its constantly evolving products and solutions, the Group is determined to help achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy. In fiscal year 2025, Toshiba Group recorded annual sales of 3.5 trillion yen and employed 95,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit ourwebsiteor follow us onLinkedIn.

AboutToshiba America, Inc.

Founded in 1965,Toshiba America, Inc. (TAI)is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Toshiba Corporation and the holding company of three Toshiba operating companies that offer a broad range of products and solutions for the commercial, energy and industrial sectors. The three companies, which along with TAI are known collectively as Toshiba America Group, are Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (Semiconductor & data storage solutions), Toshiba America Energy Systems, Corp. (Power generation solutions), Toshiba International Corporation (Industrial, power electronics & transmission & distribution solutions), and a Toshiba America Company, Toshiba America Business Solutions (Multifunction printers, label and receipt printers, digital signage, managed print services, and cloud solutions).

About NSTA

TheNational Science Teaching Association(NSTA) is a vibrant community of 35,000 science educators and professionals committed to best practices in teaching science and its impact on student learning. NSTA offers high quality science resources and continuous learning so that science educators grow professionally and excel in their career. For new and experienced teachers alike, the NSTA community offers the opportunity to network with like-minded peers at the national level, connect with mentors and leading researchers, and learn from the best in the field. For more information, visit www.nsta.org, or follow NSTA onX,Facebook,Instagram,YouTube,LinkedIn, or Bluesky.

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CONTACT: Toshiba

Jess Tasman:[email protected] Science Teaching Association

Kate Falk:[email protected]

KEYWORD: VIRGINIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CANADA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER ENERGY CONSUMER ELECTRONICS ENERGY TECHNOLOGY PRESCHOOL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PRIMARY/SECONDARY HEALTH TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION SCIENCE AUDIO/VIDEO HEALTH OTHER SCIENCE

SOURCE: Toshiba

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PUB: 03/12/2026 08:30 AM/DISC: 03/12/2026 08:30 AM

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