Rochester Institute of Technology and Lifetime Assistance earned first place at the 2026 NYSID CREATE Symposium held Monday, May 4, in Albany, New York.

The statewide competition brings together college students from across New York to design innovative solutions that help create safer and more accessible work environments for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

A team of six engineering students from Rochester Institute of Technology identified a need within Classified Scanning & Shredding, a business division of Lifetime Assistance that provides document management services. Employees at the facility regularly handle totes weighing up to 50 pounds that are used for scanning preparation or secure document destruction. Staff can face challenges related to lifting and reaching heavy totes throughout the workday.

As part of their senior capstone project, the student team — known as The Paperweight Engineers — developed a Transport Tote Lift designed to improve safety and workflow efficiency. The device can lift totes weighing more than 50 pounds to heights exceeding 36 inches, helping reduce physical strain on employees. The lift is also easily movable throughout the facility, allowing for greater flexibility in daily operations.

For their winning design, Rochester Institute of Technology received a $15,000 award, which will be shared among the students, the university, and Lifetime Assistance.