July 20 2021 | Online | Views: 1151
The Innovation Competition 2021 from The Rotary Club Canterbury run in partnership with us, The STEM Hub. The competition is aimed at Secondary School aged students to come up with a physical design that solves a problem. There were no limits on what the design/problem could be, the only boundaries being the students imagination and ingenuity.
The short listed ten entries were then invited to present their ideas virtually to the judges via Microsoft Teams live. The winning entries are listed below with a summary of the judges’ feedback (as relayed by the Chair):
1st prize (£300): Ellis, Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys - "Terranovus" soil quality tester.
The judges thought Ellis gave an excellent presentation and were impressed by the thought he had put into his innovation, including the way in which his “all-in one” soil tester – deemed useful to adults and youngsters interested in gardening – might be used. He also gave careful thought to design, materials and environmental impact. The latter was particularly important given his product was to help people grow plants and help the environment.
Joint 2nd prize (£100):
Neave, Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School - "H20 Foxbands" water bottle hydration reminder.
The judges also liked Neave’s simple but very useful idea which was nicely illustrated and presented well. It was interesting to learn how and why Neave had come up with the concept. The judges felt that Neave’s idea had great potential use - one judge even said they would need one themself! The judges liked the way that Neave had given thought to design and practicality and how she had considered her product’s superiority over competitors in terms of design and functionality.
Wilf, Simon Langton Boys - Solar-assisted water still for water purification.
The judges felt that Wilf’s idea was very well presented and all three felt that it could have real, potentially life-saving use in the developing countries at which it is aimed. Wilf had considered ways to boost the still in poor sunlight. The judges were impressed that Wilf had made a working mock up in his home to test the principles of how his product might work (even with the relative lack of sunlight in this country!)
3rd prize (£50): Charles, Simon Langton Boys - "Ice Heat VI" heated window scraper.
The judges all liked this neat little idea and again could see a real need and use for it. It is a classic example of an idea so nice and simple that it is surprising no one has yet come up with a similar device. Charles gave a clear presentation which gave thought to products that were already available; the judges could certainly imagine using the product on a cold, wintery day!
To find out more about the Innovation Challenge 2021 and find out about other winning entries visit here The Rotary Club of Canterbury's Innovation Competition Page.
