Rebecca Young, then a Primary 7 pupil at Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow, wanted to solve a problem she had seen around her city: people experiencing homelessness struggling to stay warm on cold nights.
She developed the idea of a solar-powered heated blanket through Primary Engineer’s annual “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” competition. The programme asks pupils aged 3 to 19 to come up with engineering ideas that address real-world problems.
Young designed the blanket around a simple need. People sleeping outdoors may not have access to mains electricity, so her concept used solar energy instead. Foldable solar panels charge a battery during the day, allowing the stored power to run the heated blanket later.
Thales turned Rebecca’s drawing into a working prototype
The idea caught the attention of Thales Glasgow, which selected Young’s design to develop into a physical prototype during the 2023-24 academic year.
A team of Thales graduates and apprentices worked on the project while taking feedback from Young during its development. They built the prototype around three main components: a heated sleeping bag or blanket, solar panels and a battery pack.
The team also added a temperature-based control circuit to help manage the blanket’s heating and battery use. It designed the system so the blanket could fold into a backpack, allowing users to carry it more easily.
The prototype also included a small solar panel and battery pack, with the designers focusing on keeping the system lightweight. Primary Engineer said the prototype incorporated different heat settings and safety features.
The team unveiled the finished prototype at the Scotland West regional awards at the University of Glasgow on May 24, 2024.
