12-year-old Rebecca Young from Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow has created a life-changing invention: a solar-powered heated blanket designed to help homeless people stay warm. What started as a simple school project has now become a nationally recognized solution that could improve the lives of many people living on the streets.
Rebecca was taking part in the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal competition, which asks students across the UK to think like engineers and design something that solves a real-world problem. While walking through Glasgow, she often saw people sleeping on the streets in cold conditions. These moments stayed in her heart and sparked the idea for her invention.
She began to research how she could create something practical, safe, and effective. She looked into sleeping bags, thermal blankets, and backpacks, thinking about how they could be made better for people who live outside. While heated blankets already exist, they require electricity—something people without homes usually don’t have access to. That’s when Rebecca had her big idea: use the power of the sun.
Her final design features copper wiring inside the blanket to generate heat. This heat is powered by solar panels connected to a battery, allowing the blanket to work even at night or during cloudy days. What makes her design even more special is its portability—it’s built into a backpack, making it easy to carry during the day and ready to use at night.
Rebecca received help from engineers at Thales, a global engineering firm, who helped her turn her drawing into a working prototype. The engineers added important safety features, including waterproof and flame-resistant materials, making the blanket safer for outdoor use. They also helped add a temperature control system that saves battery when heat isn’t needed.
The result is a smart, eco-friendly, and practical solution for keeping warm without needing to be plugged in. The control system automatically turns the heat on and off based on the surrounding temperature, so energy is used only when necessary. The backpack even includes storage space, giving users a place to keep their belongings safe.
Rebecca’s thoughtful invention stood out among 70,000 entries in the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal competition. She won the Commendation Medal through a public vote and also received a silver medal in the main competition. Her invention and story quickly gained attention across the UK. News outlets, engineering blogs, and community organizations praised her creative and caring ideas.
Rebecca shared her thoughts on winning and the journey behind her project. She said, “To think something I’ve designed could one day help somebody on the streets is amazing. You see so many people sleeping rough in Glasgow, and I always felt bad seeing how cold they were. It felt amazing to see my drawing turn into something real.”
Her teacher and design mentor at Kelvinside Academy, Leigh Goldie, said he was extremely proud of Rebecca. “It’s so unusual to see this level of awareness and creativity at such a young age,” he said. “Rebecca’s story shows how creativity and compassion can lead to real-world solutions.”
After the competition, Thales continued working with Rebecca to improve her prototype. They tested the battery life, heat levels, and durability of the materials to see if they could be used in real situations. The early results have been promising, and the team is now considering patenting the design for wider use.
Community groups and homeless shelters have shown interest in trying out the blanket. Some NGOs that work in areas without electricity have also asked about using it in their relief efforts. The invention is no longer just a school project—it’s now being looked at as a possible global solution.
Rebecca’s proved that age is not a barrier to innovation. Her invention is a reminder that great ideas can come from anyone, and that sometimes the biggest changes begin with a small act of kindness. By using her heart, her brain, and a bit of help from others, she created something that could bring comfort to those who need it most.
