The winning designs of a young innovators competition were showcased at Kingston University last week.
The annual Primary Engineer & Secondary Engineer Leaders Award received more than 48,000 entries from primary and secondary schools nationwide, and 17 winning designs from Greater London were showcased at a regional event held by the university, alongside a selection of shortlisted and highly commended designs.
Staff and students at the university will turn selected designs into real-life prototypes and demonstrate them at next year’s event.
Three blueprints from last year’s event were unveiled for the first time. Among them was the Bicycle Sucker, invented by Maisie Crook from Rowan Preparatory School, which helps people in developing countries collect water from rivers or wells into specially designed panniers.
The Extending Sink 6000, designed by Savannagh Dunne from Abacus Belsize Primary School, uses sensors to lower itself closer to the ground for children or wheelchair users.
After looking round the exhibition you are left not only inspired by their ideas, but also with a feeling that we will be leaving the world in good hands.
– Dr Susan Scurlock, founder of Primary Engineer
A prototype for an ingenious shirt with magnet buttons was also unveiled, realised by the university’s School of Art. Designed by Saaid Abdi from Trinity Primary Academy School, the shirt’s unique concept, using magnetic fastenener, helps those with disabilities get dressed more easily.
Dr Lucy Jones, vice-dean of the university’s Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing, said: “The outstanding standard here from children as young as four and five has been fantastic to see and we’re proud to be partners with Primary Engineer and part of the Leaders Awards competition.
“The passion that has gone into their concepts is incredibly inspiring and we’re delighted to have been able to bring some of them to life through the talent and hard work of our technicians and students.”
Dr Susan Scurlock, founder of competition organiser Primary Engineer, said: “Each year I am astounded at the solutions the pupils engineer. After looking round the exhibition you are left not only inspired by their ideas, but also with a feeling that we will be leaving the world in good hands.”
To find out more about the awards visit www.leadersaward.com