After Bridget Hooker learned that she was pregnant, Luke John chose the name Benjamin and his parents agreed, selecting Bernadette as a backup.
Luke John died before his brother's birth. But his memory infused Marlene Hylak's joy as Benjamin Hylak was feted with other talented teens during the second White House Science Fair.
Benjamin Hylak was invited to the White House after he advanced from the 2011 Delaware Valley Science Fair to a second-place finish in the Broadcom Foundation's MASTERS national competition and excelled at the 2011 Maker Fair in New York.
In an interview Wednesday, Benjamin Hylak credited God and his family for his success - and for putting up with the wires, screws, and electronic equipment that threaten to overrun the home he shares with his parents, older sister Veronica, and younger brother Blaise.
Calling Luke John a "strong presence" in his life, Benjamin Hylak said his robotic project was inspired at least in part by his grandmother.
Concerned about potential loneliness at senior-citizen residences, the aspiring scientist used an iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner, a Windows Netbook, a trash can, and a monitor to build a user-friendly tele-presence robot that moves around and allows seniors to connect via Skype with their family and friends when they are unable to visit in person. It even boasts a "dexterous arm" capable of pouring a glass of water.
"Not everyone is as ambulatory as I am," Marlene Hylak said. "It's a shame that I don't know more about computers."
Perhaps not. Benjamin Hylak's idea and its execution reportedly made a hit with the president.
"I just spent some time checking out some of the projects that were brought here today, and I've got to say, this is fun," Obama said to the gathering. "It's not every day that you have robots running all over your house."
