Scarlett Tiani, a sixth-grade student at West Rocks Middle School in Norwalk, Connecticut, won two national awards at the 2026 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, held at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Detroit, for a pet-safety device she calls the Tail Wag Warning. She was one of five students in the entire competition selected to receive the Patent Application Award, sponsored by international law firm WilmerHale, according to Norwalk Public Schools Communications.
Connecticut sixth-grader wins patent-application award at 2026 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals for dog-safety device
Scarlett Tiani, a sixth-grade student at West Rocks Middle School in Norwalk, Connecticut, won two national awards at the 2026 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals, held at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Detroit, for a pet-safety device she calls the Tail Wag Warning. She was one of five students in the entire competition selected to receive the Patent Application Award, sponsored by international law firm WilmerHale, according to Norwalk Public Schools Communications.
More than 305,000 students participated in the competition nationwide, but only 513 inventors reached the national showcase. Tiani was one of four students chosen to represent Norwalk Public Schools.
The Patent Application Award provides free legal advice, intellectual property support, and assistance submitting an official patent application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and is valued at up to $10,000. Tiani also received the Industry Innovation Award for Animal Care and Pets (K–12), which included a trophy, a personalized certificate, and a $100 cash prize.
The Tail Wag Warning is a multi-level warning system for homes with pets. It uses a customizable mailbox magnet displaying information about a pet, a QR code linking to additional digital details, and a smart warning light indicating when a dog is outside. According to the school district, the system is designed to help prevent accidental dog bites, unexpected encounters, and pets escaping from a property, and is intended for use by mail carriers, delivery drivers, first responders, and neighbors.
Tiani first developed the concept as a fifth-grade student in Mrs. Santaniello's gifted and talented classroom at Tracey Magnet School. She advanced through local showcases and the Connecticut State Competition at the University of Connecticut before reaching the national event.
Three other Norwalk Public Schools students also competed at nationals: Quinn Robertson, inventor of The Focus Fleece, which received a national Honorable Mention; Francesca Siano, inventor of the Skier Slip N' Clip; and Eliza Z., inventor of The EZ Cone. A separate group of Norwalk students has already qualified at the Connecticut Invention Convention for the next national competition, including Owen Anderson and Elliot Contessa from Rowayton Elementary School, who created X-Net, and Concord Magnet School students Cole Danburg, inventor of The Flavor Mixer, and Alexandra Kraft, inventor of A Skier's Best Bud.
- The source does not state Scarlett Tiani's age.
- The source does not include any direct quotes from Tiani herself.
- The source does not describe what the Tail Wag Warning's smart warning light runs on or how it detects a dog's presence outside.
- The source does not state the exact dates of the 2026 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals.
- The source does not identify the last name of student Eliza Z.
- The source does not state when Tiani's patent application is expected to be submitted or what stage of development the device is currently at.
Read the original at The Times of India