Photo: Primary Engineering
The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal competition asks UK students: “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” So 12-year-old Rebecca Young invented a solar-powered heated blanket to help unhoused people keep warm. With assistance from engineering firm Thales, Young presented a prototype that is integrated into a backpack, powered by the sun, and automatically alternates between on/off states to conserve battery life. While created to support people sleeping on the streets, Young said the design could be applicable for camping, hiking, or traveling. Thales hopes the product can now be further enhanced and patented for production. Young won the Commendation Medal, an award determined by public vote and a silver medal in the main competition.
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