Budding young engineers crowned FIRST® LEGO® League UK champions
A team of young engineers from Sutton have been crowned champions of the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) FIRST® LEGO® League UK competition.
The winning team were Exploding Ketchup whose winning solution to the challenge was ‘Mindful Moments’ which addresses mental health challenges using AI, art, and technology.
The team created an app that personalises the user experience based on preferences, such as favourite hobbies, food, authors, and places, and creates a tailored environment for mental health improvement. Using AI to detect emotions through facial recognition technology, users receive guidance from an AI therapist, as well as uplifting music and inspirational quotes from their favourite authors, all aimed at fostering positive emotional wellbeing. The judges were impressed with the team’s innovative solution and that they had built the app.
On winning, Exploding Ketchup said: “We are overjoyed that our hard work and the hours of coding, building and practising was worth it and we’re so proud to be a part of the FLL community. It has been a great journey and an experience we will never forget!”
The team will be invited to the International Open Competition hosted in Norway this May.
This year’s competition is called MASTERPIECE℠ and asks teams to imagine innovative new ways to create and communicate art across the globe using technology. Throughout the process, teams will demonstrate their skills in robotics, computer programming, teamwork, research, problem solving and communication.
Hannah Rees, Senior Education Manager at the IET, said: “FIRST® LEGO® League allows young people to experience engineering in action. It gives students the opportunity to get hands-on experience with robotics and design innovative solutions to real world problems, all whilst bringing excitement to STEM subjects. Programming, teamwork, problem-solving and communications skills have never been so much fun and gives students an insight into the creative careers that the wonderful world of engineering offers.
“There is a great need for young people with STEM skills to fill the next generation of engineering roles as the UK faces a nationwide skills shortage. The competition empowers young people to think about a possible career in engineering and technology and we are excited to see such bright young engineering minds in FIRST® LEGO® League.”
Other prizes awarded at the final included:
- Breakthrough Award: Colourful Creators
- Motivate Award: The IncrediLEGOs
- Rising All-Star Award: Westminster School
- Outstanding Robot Performance Award: Exploding Ketchup
- 1st Place Core Values Award: AEES
- 1st Place Project Award: LEGO of my Bricks
- 1st Place Robot Design Award: RealTechBot
The IET is proud to be the FIRST® LEGO® League’s UK and All-Ireland operational partner. Supporting the competition is part of the IET’s commitment to show young people the benefits of careers within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
ENDS
Notes to Editors
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Media enquiries to:
Rebecca Gillick
External Communications Manager
E: rgillick@theiet.org
Sophie Lockyer
Senior Communications Executive
E: slockyer@theiet.org