Innovation and creativity were at the forefront of Cambridge LaunchPad‘s first Project Day with Cambridge Design Partnership on 4 May 2023. Students from St Bede’s Inter-Church School designed, pitched, built, and tested solar-powered ambulances.
The event kicked off with an introduction to the project and a briefing on the expectations. The students were divided into teams and given the task of designing a solar-powered ambulance that was not only eco-friendly but also efficient and reliable. Each team was partnered with a CDP engineer to help guide them through the process. They began by designing their vehicles on paper, budgeting for the parts required, and creating branding and marketing. The teams then pitched their ideas to a panel of judges, consisting of CDP professionals.
After a well-earned lunch, the teams were provided with all the necessary materials and equipment to build their solar-powered ambulance prototypes. The young people worked tirelessly to bring their designs to life and were given additional support by their CDP professionals whenever needed – mainly when it came to soldering and machine cutting.
Finally, we moved on to the testing phase! The teams gathered outside and presented their prototypes to the judges, explaining their approach to the task and how they had fulfilled the brief. They demonstrated their vehicles in practice and were timed to see how long it would take for their prototypes to travel a set distance, whilst carefully carrying a liquid. Their designs were all excellent, but the winning team was Vaxago, whose vehicle prototype had speed and reliability.
Mark Parry – Graduate Design Engineer at Cambridge Design Partnership
“The CDP team all came away from the Cambridge LaunchPad day with huge smiles and look forward to welcoming more students soon. The students approached the challenge with creativity, enthusiasm, and impressive technical know-how! Their problem solving skills and tinkering ability were required to get the models working – which was great to see. This paid-off in the exciting time-trial competition where the solar models whizzed along the carpark.”
This inspiring event at Cambridge Design Partnership was a success in promoting eco-friendly transportation and fostering innovation among students. It showcased the importance of sustainable energy sources and how they can be used to improve transportation. It also provided a platform for students to showcase their skills in science, engineering and creativity.
Female student from St Bede’s Inter-Church School
“I have always wanted to become an engineer. This has made me want to pursue this as a job even more.”
