10 June 2004

School children target airport security

Photo opportunity: 3.45pm, Thursday June 10, West Park Conference Centre, Perth Road, Dundee

Pupils from Tayside, Fife and Central regions will design a novel piece of security equipment for airports as part of the Dundee University Technology and Engineering Challenge event (DUTECH) taking place tomorrow. It will be a race against the clock as the teams have only five hours to demonstrate their engineering and marketing skills in the annual challenge organised by the University's Divisions of Electronic Engineering and Physics and Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics.

The teams involved will be given the same set of basic materials including, balsa wood, batteries, drawing pins, glue, rubber bands and a motor holder set among other things to create a device that can detect items hidden in seemingly innocent artefacts, in this case eggs.

With smuggling a real concern for airport security staff, the students will aim to produce a value for money device and also consider the marketing potential of their product. Each team is expected to produce a press release, advertising and working drawings of their design. Prizes will be awarded for first second and third place.

Alan Slade, DUTECH organiser said, "The challenge introduces potential engineering undergraduates to life at the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Dundee by showing them that student life is not all computer simulation and dull lectures. The projects the students undertake are essentially engineering based allowing the students to gain an insight into what life as a practising engineer is like."

The one day event will be held at West Park Conference Centre on Thursday 10 June.

For further information please contact Alan Slade on 01382 345160

By Angela Durcan, Press Officer 01382 344768, out of hours: 07968298585, a.durcan@dundee.ac.uk