Young designers fight it out at Triumph’s HQ
YOUNG designers put their skills to the test at the grand final of a national contest held at Triumph in Hinckley.
Students aged 16 to 18 were tasked with designing a product to solve a real world problem, as part of the Triumph Design Awards.
The 26 finalists from across the UK presented their projects to senior engineers from Triumph’s design department.
Designs included a medical delivery drone for disaster relief and a portable work station to reduce screen glare on laptops while working outside.
This year’s winner was Shonak Joshi from King Edward’s School in Birmingham.
He bagged the first prize for his HALO Smart Protect, a smart device that protects vulnerable and elderly people by alerting their relatives via smartphone when the device detects high levels of harmful gas or smoke.
Judges were particularly impressed with the way he had thought about how users would interact with the system and the design of the electronic and software design.
Shonak hopes to study engineering at university, specialising in electrical engineering.
He was awarded the Triumph Design Award winners trophy, £500 cash, two weeks of paid work experience in the Design department at Triumph, and will be considered for University Sponsorship.
Shonak said “It’s been really great being able to come to the factory and I’m really looking forward to visiting again for my work experience.”
Second prize was awarded to Olly Cross from Merchant Taylors’ School in Northwood, Middlesex for his Variable Speed Winch project and third prize to George Laight from King Edward’s School in Birmingham for his Fold Up Cable Cam project.
Each received a Triumph Design awards trophy, cash prize and one weeks work experience in the Design Department at Triumph.
Lord Digby Jones, chairman of Triumph, gave the prizes to the finalists.
He said: “What a wonderful display of sheer talent, innovation and courage.
“If our country could bottle what I have seen today - winners and those who made it to the final - then we have nothing to fear.”
The Triumph Design Awards aim to inspire the engineers of the future and show young people how they can have a career in which their ideas can become a reality.
The 2019 edition of the awards will open for entries in March next year.