Background

The UK Government has established a programme to predict what the future willl look like, so that funding and research can be appropriately directed. This programme is called Foresight (www.foresight.gov.uk)

Problems with Foresight

The Foresight committees are made up of eminent scientists, engineers, technologist, academics etc They are primarily men in suits They have difficulty thinking outside the box They like to play safe Their ideas move forward in small incremental steps

Young Foresight
Young Foresight was established to help get around this problem Get young people, who are not restricted by previous experience to brainstorm and come up with innovative ideas This is todays challenge!

The Challenge: Transport of the Future

Today you will develop some innovative ideas and concepts about transport in the future; for the year 2020 You will have to do some very quick research You will have to generate several concepts
argue them through with your team mates and select one area that you will develop further model your design in some way brand your design

By the end of the day you will have to present your idea to an expert Remember, think big, think different, think outside the box!

Some Thoughts to Get You Started

Air Vehicles:
Mass transport (Big passenger aircraft) Personal transport (Small, safe, easy to operate) Cargo transport

Some Thoughts to Get You Started

Ground Vehicles:
Mass people transport (bus,train,tram) Personal transport (car,motorbike,hovercraft) Cargo transport (lorries, trains)

Some Ideas to Get You Started

Hybrids
Flying cars Boat planes Hover trains Space planes

Infrastructure
Airports Stations (bus/train/carports)

Some Thought to Get You Started

What about fuel? No (or very little) fossil fuels available? The Environment? Roads already too busy Skies already becoming overcrowded Sustainablity/Reuseability? Cant afford to use lots of materials that we just throw away after use What happens to our products at the end of their life? Technology? New materails might be available by 2020 Alternative/new energy sources? Clever and smart structures Artificial intelligence Augmented Humans

Timetable
Concept Generation
Get lots of ideas flowing Then downselect to one/two ideas Start thinkig in more detail How would it work? How would it be made? What is it made of? How can you demonstrate what it might look like Make a model of it (or bits of it) Drawings (CAD?)

Design

Model

Timings

Presentation
How will you present it to an expert (in 2 minutes max) Need a team/project name and some initial branding ideas What/who is your market? Any ideas of costs? Any major risks involved (Technology, cultural)

Teams
160 pupils 4 x 40 classes 5 teams of 8 in each group Roles:
Project manager Deputy PM Researchers Modellers Presenters Designers Branding and marketing

Resources
Images of the future Advanced Technology ideas Young Foresight DVD Internet access for each group Modelling materials CAD Presentation facilities (powerpoint or not?) T-shirts? (each team to present in team shirt, with team logo) Prizes?