Rail safety innovator Transmission Dynamics from Northumberland, London assistive technology firm WeWalk and genomic sequencing pioneer Oxford Nanopore Technologies are all up for the prestigious prize, the Royal Academy of Engineering announced today (15 June).
“One year on from the publication of the government’s industrial strategy, this year’s finalists underline the UK’s strength as a global leader for innovation, with breakthroughs from different fields of technology,” the announcement said.
“Each finalist represents millions in homegrown capital and hundreds of local jobs. They underline the UK’s long-standing reputation as a global leader for enterprise, innovation and trade.”
The Pandas-V AI-powered video capture device from Transmission Dynamics is aimed at revolutionising rail safety standards with intelligent detection of faults. The system generates analysis of overhead line conditions as faults emerge, giving engineers the information they need to intervene before potential accidents and disruption occur.
Founder and executive chairman Jarek Rosinski, who spoke at IMechE’s Automation of Inspection and Maintenance in Railways conference last year, said the system “represents a fundamental shift in how railway infrastructure is monitored and maintained”.
He added, in today’s announcement: “Rather than waiting for faults to cause disruption, damage or safety risks, we are enabling operators to identify and address issues before they become critical, creating a safer, more reliable and more efficient railway for passengers and operators alike.
“We are proud to be demonstrating that world-leading engineering innovation can be developed here in Northumberland and delivered across rail networks around the globe.”
Designed in partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People and Imperial College London, the WeWalk Smart Cane is designed to improve assistive technology for blind people and people with low vision, who contributed to the work. Using sounds and vibrations, the device alerts users to obstacles and allows them to identify approaching buses and check directions.
“As a team with lived and professional experience of sight loss, we know independence is not measured by the sensor or the algorithm; it is measured by whether technology helps us leave home more confidently and live fuller lives every day. WeWalk therefore goes beyond putting advanced technology into a white cane,” said chief innovation officer Jean Marc Feghali.
“By involving our community at every stage, we turned complex engineering into a tool that truly makes a difference. We hope WeWalk encourages more engineers to design with us, not just for us, because everyone deserves full and equal mobility."
Aimed at making genomic sequencing faster and more accessible, Oxford Nanopore’s technology reads DNA and RNA strands directly and in real time. Used in high-throughput laboratories, at the site of disease outbreaks and even aboard the International Space Station, it can provide faster access to rich genomic information.
Chief scientific officer Lakmal Jayasinghe said: “What began as a scientific idea has become a technology used globally to generate real-time biological insight across research, healthcare and beyond. What excites me most is that we have only begun to realise the full potential of what this platform can do.”
Announcing the finalists, judging panel chair Dr Alison Vincent CBE said: “The MacRobert Award exists to celebrate engineering that makes a genuine difference – and this year’s finalists do exactly that. From the streets of London to the railways of Northumberland and the laboratories of Oxford, these three innovations show that world-class engineering can be found across the whole of the UK.
“What unites this year’s finalists is their ability to take a complex problem and solve it with elegant, deployable technology – technology that is already providing real-world benefits, saving time and money, and in some cases, saving lives. That combination of commercial rigour and genuine societal benefit is what the MacRobert Award has stood for since it was created in 1969, and these finalists embody it completely.”
This year’s competition has a “special significance” for the Royal Academy, which was founded 50 years ago, she added. “Through the winners of this special award, we can reflect on more than five decades of championing the engineers and innovations that have shaped our world – and look ahead to the next fifty. This year’s finalists represent the kind of bold, purposeful engineering that will define that future.”
The three finalist teams are competing for a gold medal and a £50,000 prize, as well as a luxury weekend at the MacRobert estate in Aberdeenshire. The academy will announce the winner at its annual awards dinner in London on 8 July.
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