A group of students has been working with Rolls-Royce engineers to develop new technologies that could save lives at sea.
Seven students at UWC Atlantic College in South Wales (
www.atlanticcollege.org) have been developing ideas for new marine technologies — such as scouting drones — that could aid the search and rescue process at sea, alongside three of Rolls-Royce’s most experienced marine specialists.
The ideas came from the students’ personal experiences of working on the world’s most widely used craft for inshore rescue — the rigid-hull inflatable boat (RIB), which was developed in the 1960s by Rear-Admiral Desmond Hoare, the College’s founding principal, and tested by college students.
The project team felt driven to come up with new solutions after experiencing at first hand the difficulties of searching for and rescuing people in trouble at sea.
Rolls-Royce (
www.Rolls-Royce.com) assigned a team of marine engineering specialists to work with the students and help transform their ideas into reality.
Marine engineer Simon O’Connor said: “We’ve worked with students at some of the UK’s top universities focused on marine engineering and naval architecture.
"The ideas, problem-solving approaches, and knowledge of these students at UWC Atlantic College is akin to what we would expect to see at undergraduate level — and in some instances, even postgraduate level.
Don Murray, who is a Rolls-Royce’s STEM Ambassador, said: “They think without boundaries, and their enthusiasm for the subject is extraordinary.
"If this level of skill and work ethic can be demonstrated in a college environment, then these individuals will certainly excel as they progress to third-level education.”