If you've always thought it would be neat to blend your smoothie while pedaling your bike, good news - an RIT student has created just such a contraption.

The Bike Blender is the invention of second-year mechanical engineering student Don Leclerc, and is one of more than 400 exhibits that will be on display at Imagine RIT on Saturday, May 2. The public is invited to view demonstrations and to interact with gadgetry, gizmos, and tech-toys.

The free event is similar in theme to Disney's Epcot Center, says Bob Finnerty, an RIT spokesman. Students and faculty have built everything from robots to an Etch-a-Sketch that has been programmed to create an image from a photograph.

RIT President Bill Destler has challenged RIT students, faculty, and staff to design and construct a vehicle that consumes less total energy than his electric bicycle. The winning team will get either an antique banjo from Destler's collection or $1,000. There were 14 entries as of late last week.

One of the projects to come out of last year's Imagine RIT ultimately became a product in the telemedicine field. It's an advanced Internet device that allows doctors from around the country to virtually assist operating surgeons.

That's cool, says Michael Dumont, a fourth-year student who is also the research and development director for the computer sciences group.

"But we don't start by saying we want to create a new breakthrough technology," he says. "We want to have fun playing with innovation."

Dumont's group has built two robots for the event.

Imagine RIT drew more than 20,000 people last May, its first year, and organizers expect around 30,000 people this year. For information: www.RIT.edu/imagine.