Some of the best young minds in the world were in the U.S. state of Washington this week for a technology competition.  Bill Gates was there too. 

Bill Gates

Microsoft's Bill Gates met them all - students from Japan, India, Germany.  Their challenge is to invent technology that will have an impact on real world health problems.

Gates seemed to like what he saw.

"If we bring smart people together, use the latest resources, give them the right resources, given time, and we're talking about decades here, curing those diseases and changing education can happen," he said.

Brooks Hollar

Brooks Hollar, student inventor from Virginia Commonwealth University, said, "I think that everybody here really hopes that they can make a significant impact. If not with this product that they are working on now, maybe with something that they work on in the future."

Inventions ranged from pocket devices, to computer software, to virtual glasses. The winner was Virginia Commonwealth University. Brooks Hollar and his teammates created a hand held device linking patients to doctors.

Competition winners

Hollar explained, "The PocketDoc System allows doctors and patients to collaborate on their personal well-being by providing the patients with reminders and step-by-step instructions on how to step through procedures."

They will represent the United States at the world final of the Microsoft-sponsored competition in New Delhi, India this August.