(Montgomery, Ala.) – Project Flash, an MGMWERX Design Challenge, offered top performing teams from the River Region BEST Robotics competition an opportunity to provide challenge solutions. The STEAM Machine from Wetumpka High School, GEARS, Inc. from Eastwood and Cornerstone Schools, and Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School Robotics teams were given the challenge to create a protective shell for a raspberry pi computer and battery. When used in the field, the design would protect the raspberry pi computers when dropped from an aircraft into military zones.
This challenge was brought to the MGMWERX team by the Blue Horizons research task force to provide connections with nontraditional sources for a solution. After the Blue Horizons research task force evaluated each team’s entry, the GEARS team prototype was chosen as the winner for this challenge. Along with a monetary award, their design will be replicated for use by Air Force Operations. Local manufacturer, Acclaim Industries, will produce over 700 of the modified designs for testing.
“At MGMWERX we’re a firm believer that no one group of people has a monopoly on good ideas. Project Flash was able to showcase that belief by soliciting solutions from an often-forgotten group, kids,” explained Anna Ganey, MGMWERX Business Manager. “Through partnerships that MWX has formed we were able to gain a fresh perspective on a problem. The simplicity of design, ease of manufacturing, as well the cost to mass produce was just brilliant!”
The final designs are scheduled to be tested by Blue Horizons in April pending approval due to the current COVID-19 crisis.