West Exe School - National Technology Prize Finalists

The Longitude Explorer Prize was launched to encourage children to develop ideas around how artificial intelligence can help people.

A group of children from West Exe School are finalists in the Longitude Explorer Prize 2020, for designing a delivery robot to distribute vital medical supplies for people who cannot leave the house.

The Longitude Explorer Prize was launched by the innovation charity NESTA to encourage children to develop ideas around how artificial intelligence can help people. All entries were submitted before the COVID-19 pandemic, however a number of UK school pupils designed tech which could help alleviate the impact of such a major health crisis.

Assisted by Marc Matthews their computer science teacher who coordinated the entry, pupils from West Exe School spent an hour each week after school researching and looking at possible applications that would help society and the wider world, in order to put together their application. Their decision on a delivery robot was greatly influenced by the Bill Gates 2015 Ted talk, ‘The next outbreak? We’re not ready’.

Deputy Headteacher Alex Kirkbride comments;

 “We are absolutely thrilled that our pupils have been shortlisted for such a major prize. They worked extremely hard and put in many hours of research from concept to design through to submission of entry. Given the current unpresented circumstances it would be hugely beneficial to have this type of artificial intelligence in existence and our pupils should be extremely proud of their profoundly progressive idea.”

Funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy (BEIS) and run by Nesta, the Longitude Explorer Prize challenges secondary school pupils to invent tech solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges, including climate change, pollution and an ageing population.

West Exe School pupils are one of forty teams from across the country who have made the final. The winning team will win £25,000 for their school or youth group, with two runners up receiving £10,000 apiece.

As finalists, West Exe pupils will receive mentoring and support from an industry expert to develop their idea, produce designs and prototypes, and prepare pitches for the finals due to take place later this year.