Cromarty pupil's invention on show at science centre
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A CLEVER invention aimed at making shopping easier for the elderly has earned a Black Isle youngster’s work a spot in a prestigious Scottish museum.
A prototype shopping trolley designed by Aidan McCann went on display yesterday at the Glasgow Science Centre after he wowed judges to beat nearly 12,000 rivals in a national competition.
Aidan, who was a P7 pupil at Cromarty Primary School when inspiration struck, invented a trolley which could be lowered to suit the user’s height after seeing his 4ft 11in granny struggle with existing carts.
The 11-year-old’s ‘Trolley for the Elderly’ lifts and lowers at the flip of a switch.
His clever thinking so impressed the organisers of the Scottish Engineering Leaders Awards that he won the top prize. And his plans have now been brought to life by students at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Strathclyde.
Dr Andrew McLaren, vice dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Strathclyde, added: "Aidan’s trolley invention showed creativity, and ingenuity – two of the most important traits in an engineer’s inventory. He has identified a specific challenge, and proposed an innovative solution that really catches the imagination of the public."
Aidan, who now attends Fortrose Academy, said: "When my gran saw it, she really loved it. It was designed for her."
The competition was run by Primary Engineer, a not-for-profit organisation that works to inspire engineering classroom projects.
