Sony (Europe) has taken on some innovative consulting partners lately—and they’re all between the ages of 10 and 13.

Team Lego Guards is the winner of the research project portion of 2008’s FIRST Lego League (FLL) challenge, a competition in which kids ages 9-13 are challenged to develop an autonomous robot to complete tasks in relation to a scientific problem, as well as define and create a research project and exhibit teamwork skills and engineering talent. The Lego Guards, out of Meadow Vista, California developed Forest Guard, an early forest fire detection system, in response to the forest fire damage they had witnessed in their own community. And to bring their vision to life, Sony teamed up with the young innovators to design, test and implement their concept which debuted at the Bright Green Expo in December.

But how did this group of kids get started? Well that’s where FIRST Lego League came in. FIRST or For Inspiration of Science and Technology is a nonprofit founded by Dean Kamen, award winning inventor of Segway. Kamen teamed up with Lego Chairman of the Board, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen to create FLL with the purpose of creating a hands-on global program that gets children excited about science and technology and engages children in research, problem solving, and engineering.

FLL Robotics competitions were first held in 1998, and after Motorola began sponsoring the events in 2000, FLL flourished with the help of sponsors and organizations. Illinois INSciTE, a nonprofit that concentrates on the Inspiration of Science and Technology for youth, is one of those organizations. In short, Illinois INSciTE and FLL have been producing the world’s future innovators for 12 years. And to keep pushing innovation forward, Maddock Douglas is a proud sponsor of Illinois INSciTE, as within our culture of innovation, we believe that ideas can come from anywhere. Absolutely anywhere—especially when the “idea engines” are young kids, still very adept at tapping into their natural sense of wonder—THE most important ingredient needed for creating industry-changing ideas.

This year’s teams are coming up with solutions to a problem that everyone faces: transportation. The 2009-2010 Challenge called “Smart Move” asks teams “how can we transform the way we all think about transportation?” and Maddock Douglas will be at the Illinois State tournament on January 15-16 to witness innovation in the making.

In the words of Cynthia Schmitz, Director at INSciTe Illinois, “kids come away from the experience with the knowledge that anything is possible.” Now that sounds like the perfect place to start changing the world.

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