Warwick Engineering Students Shortlisted for National Award
Warwick School of Engineering undergraduate students Ella Bray and Archie Campbell have been shortlisted in a nationwide award, Engineering For Access, to find the next greatest innovation in disability products.
![Ella Bray](ella_bray.jpg)
The annual award, run by personal injury specialists Claims.co.uk and product innovation specialists Bang Creations, tasked undergraduate engineers from all disciplines across the country with creating a product designed to aid people living with a disability. Students were able to choose the disability they wanted to design for, with other entries tackling epilepsy and deafness. In return they get the chance of winning £5,000 towards the cost of getting their product made.
Ella’s design is for a wheelchair wheel cleaner, specifically aimed at schoolchildren and Archie entered the award with a body-mounted support kit that helps disabled musicians to hold an instrument if they only have the use of one hand. Both designs, alongside eight others shortlisted, were picked as a viable frontrunners.
Ella, originally from Kent, said that her design was inspired by a visit to local school, where a teacher explained that this type of device would be important in helping disabled children have greater independence:
“It could really benefit the pupils of the school I visited, as well as many others in multiple walks of life.”
Archie, who spent his earlier years in Scotland before moving to Warwick for his degree, said that music has always been a huge part of his life. His design was particularly inspired by OHMI, a charity which helps those with limited mobility to get involved in music.
![Archie Campbell](archie_campbell.jpg)
When asked how he felt about being shortlisted in Engineering for Access, Archie replied:
“Upon receiving the email, I was ecstatic. I had faith in my project, and I hoped that I had clearly communicated why this project addressed something so personal. To be given the opportunity to see this possibly manifest itself proved that all consider music as a fundamental all should have access to.”
The winner of Engineering for Access will be judged on a number of criteria, with innovation and cost efficiency as just two.
You can find more details about Ella’s entry design at https://www.claims.co.uk/engineering-for-access/engineering-for-access-2020-shortlist-ella-bray and Archie’s entry design at https://www.claims.co.uk/engineering-for-access/engineering-for-access-2020-shortlist-archie-campbell.