Thirty-nine Swansea students took part, drawn from 11 countries around the world and from 10 subjects across the faculty of Science and Engineering.
A biotransformer toilet that converts human waste into biofuel was the winning idea in the Swansea round of “Invent for the Planet”, an international design competition for student inventors.
The competition is run by Texas A&M University and is open to 50 participating universities in 24 countries around the world. Swansea is the only UK university invited to participate.
Students at each university work in local teams and select a global challenge, with this year’s including lower carbon solutions for the energy sector, sustainable housing for poor areas, and solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Students are given 48 hours to research their challenge and come up with an idea for a new invention. They have to create a prototype and develop an elevator pitch which they present to a panel of judges drawn from academia and industry.
The judges choose a winning team which will be considered for a place in the global Grand Final which takes place in Texas from 8th – 10th April.
Thirty-nine Swansea students took part, drawn from 11 countries around the world and from 10 subjects across the faculty of Science and Engineering.
The winning team - called Waste2Watts – was made up of six students: Maya Williams, 2nd year geography; Jack Boswell Brown, 1st year civil engineering; Ethan Dickinson, 3rd year electrical engineering; Rhys Rodrigues, MSc aerospace engineering; and Mayah Anakwa and Sar Sainbayar, 2nd year chemical engineering.
The challenge they chose was about safe and sustainable housing for people in poverty. One billion people worldwide live in slums: more than 20% of the world’s population. There is a pressing need for innovative, cost-effective housing solutions, giving them access to sanitation, safe water, and sustainable living conditions.
The Waste2Watts team developed a biotransformer toilet that converts human waste into biofuel.
Their product would improve sanitation and help prevent the spread of water-borne diseases. It would also capture methane to generate household power, create fertilizer for use in local agriculture, and create employment opportunities. Their design uses locally available, locally sourced or recycled materials which can, in turn, be re-used or recycled afterwards.
During the competition the team produced an early prototype of the toilet, which the judges thought had the potential to be a viable product. The University’s enterprise team, which has a strong track record in supporting student start-ups, will also be able to offer advice on developing the idea further.
Comments from students who took part in Invent for the Planet:
- Jack Boswell Brown, 1st year Civil Engineering student and member of the winning team: “I applied to take part as I wanted the opportunity to work on a project that would benefit the environment and people in poverty. I enjoyed the experience thoroughly - I met great people and improved my project management and presentation skills”.
- Roby Karan Singh, MSc in Computer Science: “I loved every second! I participated in my first year and really improved my presentation and public speaking skills. This year I also developed my skills in public speaking, team work and time management.”
- Siana Deakins, 1st year Environmental Science and the Climate Emergency and member of the runner up team: “Invent for the Planet was engaging, fun and interesting. I'm always thinking of new ideas and the event enabled me to actually pursue one for a whole weekend. The event taught me to trust in my own capabilities and I learned a lot about leadership and teamwork. I’m sure this will be a really good experience for helping me secure a job in future!”
- William Hutchings, 1st year Electronic and Electrical Engineering: “Invent for the Planet was a great experience. The event was very enjoyable and I developed many skills such as research, teamwork and public speaking. I walked into the event with barely any skills, and I walked out with skills that will benefit my life as a whole”.
Dr Caroline Coleman-Davies, Texas Strategic Partnership lead and co-organiser for Invent for the Planet, said:
“Invent for the Planet gives participants a unique opportunity to work with students from other subjects, disciplines and year groups on a real-world challenge of their choosing. Swansea has been part of the event since it was established in 2018, and every year we see more and more of our students interested in taking part. We are extremely grateful to our long-time partner, Texas A&M University for giving Swansea students the opportunity to be part of this exciting event.”
Kelly Jordan, Senior Entrepreneurship Officer and co-organiser for Invent for the Planet, said:
“Invent for the Planet gives Swansea students the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills, apply their engineering and scientific knowledge in a practical setting, and equip themselves to make a meaningful impact on the world. This is one of several events organized by Swansea’s Enterprise Team which aim to foster entrepreneurship among students, and their final presentations demonstrate the impressive progress they can make in just 48 hours.”
Professor Helen Griffiths, Pro Vice Chancellor for research, and one of the judges for the competition, said:
“We are delighted to be the only UK university invited to take part in Invent for the Planet. Swansea prides itself on attracting the best and brightest students, and this event highlighted their creativity and entrepreneurial skills. The ideas, prototypes and presentations they produced in just 48 hours were exceptionally impressive, and I’d like to commend all the students for their achievements.”
This year’s event was sponsored by the Engineers in Business Fellowship and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Texas Strategic Partnership - find out more about Swansea University's links with Texas