8 June 2005

Pupils take on DUTECH challenge

Photo opportunity: with winning team, 3.45pm, Wednesday 8 June, Bonar Hall, Dundee

Senior pupils from Tayside, Fife and Central regions will design a new type of mobile baggage handling vehicle for transporting luggage at airports as they take part in the Dundee University Technology and Engineering (DUTECH) challenge on Wednesday 8 June.

In a race against time, the teams will have only five hours to demonstrate their engineering and marketing skills in the annual challenge organised by the University's Divisions of Electronic Engineering & Physics and Mechanical Engineering & Mechatronics.

As international travel increases and airports handle increasing quantities of baggage, the risk of luggage going astray also rises. It will be up to the pupils to design a luggage carrying vehicle that can help prevent luggage going missing as well as fit the strict specifications for the baggage chute.

The competing teams will only have access to a basic set of materials to create their invention including, balsa wood, batteries, drawing pins, glue, rubber bands and a motor holder.

Alan Slade, DUTECH organiser said, "The one day event aimed at introducing potential engineering students to life at the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Dundee shows them that degree programmes contain a lot of hands on live engineering tasks.

"The projects allow the student to gain an insight into what life as a practising engineer is all about."

Schools participating in the event are:

Arbroath Academy
Arbroath High School
Balwearie High School, Kirkcaldy
Denny High School
Dunfermline High School
Forfar Academy
Grove Academy
Monifieth High School
Morgan Acadamy, Dundee
Perth Grammar School
Perth High School
St John's High School, Dundee
Waid Academy, Anstruther
Wallace High School, Stirling
Webster's High School, Kirriemuir

For further information please contact Dr Alan Slade on 01382 345160

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