Updates on the Royal College of Art and Extreme E Research Partnership: winning projects

The 2021/22 Grand Challenge saw student teams develop and pitch innovative design and science based solutions in support of the theme  - A New Economic Model for the Ocean (NEMO).   

Under this theme, students were challenged to design innovative systems or products that can help change attitudes to the Ocean, and safeguard against increased damage. Issues of focus included environmental sustainability, plastic pollution, loss of marine habitats and new ocean economies. 

The Grand Challenge kicked off with RCA academics travelling to meet the Extreme E ship, the St. Helena, in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland during the Arctic X Prix event in Season 1. The team installed a robotics package and data gathering equipment on the ship, allowing both RCA students and academics to acquire critical data during the ship’s Season 1 journey, which assisted in the formation of student solution proposals. 

Professor Ashley Hall, Professor of Design Innovation at the Royal College of Art, said: “In this project, we’ve designed, built and installed an artificial intelligence system on Extreme E’s, St Helena’s ship in Greenland which sailed all the way across the North Atlantic to Sardinia and then to Poole in Dorset. Using AI and a camera system, we’re capturing all the objects on the surface of the ocean and then understanding what those objects are. 

“Extreme E support our NEMO project by allowing access to the ship for our technology to be installed on board. They also connect us to the Scientific Committee, like Prof Lucy Woodall, so we have amazing access to the world’s top scientists around researching climate change and the world’s oceans. The benefit for the RCA students is that they can see this real time data that we’ve captured as staff researchers, enabling them to incorporate that research directly into their design projects.”

With 350 RCA students involved and 70 teams, 12 teams were shortlisted for the final stage of the Challenge. The finalists of the Grand Challenge then further developed their proposals and projects before presenting to a jury panel comprising of Lucy Woodall, Extreme E’s Ocean Expert and RCA Alumni, Dr Jiayu Wu, Reader in Intelligent Mobility Design at the Intelligent Mobility Design Centre, along with Apple designer, Peter Russell-Clarke, Chief Designer of Logitech, Alastair Curtis, and chaired by Professor Paul Anderson, Dean of the School of Design at the RCA. 

Their unique projects propose sustainable solutions to challenges affecting marine environments. Ranging from intelligent technologies like an aural navigation tool for marine life to inhabit new coral reefs to community to increasing seagrass restoration to creating interlinking aquaculture pods to prevent algae effects.

Professor Lucy Woodall, Extreme E’s Scientific Committee’s Ocean Scientist, says: “It was fascinating seeing the innovative projects the multidisciplinary groups of students developed. I was really captivated by the presentations they gave and understanding the rationale for the decisions they made.”

The winning three projects were Afterlife, Decibel and Reef Bells. Reef Bells entailed analogue instruments designed to be played by the ocean current on coral reefs. Mimicking the sound of a healthy reef, they act as an aural navigation tool for baby reef fish which hatch in open water and navigate to coral reefs by listening for the sounds from animals living there.

The second unique project, After Life, is an ocean memorial reef and funeral company, allowing individuals to continue the legacy of their loved ones underwater. Using a combination of sustainable materials, innovative technology and humane services, After Life reefs help coral ecosystems and reduce the heavy carbon emissions from traditional funerals whilst allowing people to remember their loved ones more meaningfully.

Lastly, Decibel helps noise pollution in a nature-based manner, a current potent threat to marine life. The project provides a structure where kelp and oysters can be grown, acting as a natural sound barrier between shipping highways while creating a regenerative marine permaculture system. This paves the way for a circular economy where oysters, fish, and kelp can be harvested while mitigating sound pollution.

Prizes of £2,500 were awarded based on the innovative design and emotional resonance underpinning the solution.

Paul Anderson, Dean of the School of Design at the Royal College of Art, commented: "It is wonderful to see our student design teams responding both emotionally and innovatively to this planet’s vital ecosystem and to clearly demonstrate that there is enormous potential to further protect and encourage our marine environment to prosper

“Extreme E welcomes the data collected with RCA aboard St Helena and looks forward to understanding how this information can help better inform decisions on the climate crisis along with finding solutions to assist a more sustainable future for the planet."

More about the shortlisted projects can be found on the RCA website.

Extreme E:

Julia Fry, Head of Communications 
E: media@extreme-e.com / T: +44 7778 108754

Josh Bell, MPA Creative:     
E: jb@mpacreative.com  / T: +44 7557 102540

Diego Bustos, BE Mass Media (Latin America -including Brazil-, US Hispanics, Spain, Portugal)
E: diego.bustos@bemassmedia.com / +569-8829-9138 or +1-660-847-4645

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Extreme E:

Extreme E is a radical new racing series, which will see electric SUVs competing in extreme environments around the world which have already been damaged or affected by climate and environmental issues. The five-race global voyage highlights the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the world’s most remote locations and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles in the quest for a lower carbon future for the planet.  

To minimise local impact, Extreme E races will not be open to spectators, with fans instead invited to follow the action through live TV broadcast, and on social media. 

The St. Helena, a former passenger cargo ship, has undergone a multi-million Euro refit to minimise emissions and transform her into Extreme E’s operations hub. The ship will be used to transport the championship’s freight and infrastructure, including vehicles, to the nearest port, minimising Extreme E’s footprint, as well as being used to facilitate scientific research through its on-board laboratory.

Extreme E is also pioneering hydrogen fuel cell technology which will enable its race fleet to be charged using zero emission energy. This innovative solution from AFC Energy uses water and sun to generate hydrogen power. Not only will this process emit no greenhouse emissions, its only by-product will be water, which will be utilised elsewhere on-site. 

Extreme E Season 2 Calendar:  

Neom, Saudi Arabia 
19-20 February 2022 

Sardinia, Italy  
06-07 July 2022 

Sardinia, Italy 
09-10 July 2022 

Antofagasta, Chile 
24-25 September 2022 

Punta del Este, Uruguay  
26-27 November 2022 

About Continental Tyres: Founding Partner and Official Tyre Partner 

Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent, and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. Continental generated preliminary sales of €37.7 billion in 2020 and currently employs more than 235,000 people in 58 countries and markets. In 2021, the company celebrates its 150th anniversary.

The Tires business area has 24 production and development locations worldwide. Continental is one of the leading tire manufacturers with more than 56,000 employees and posted preliminary sales of €10.2 billion in 2020 in this business area. Continental ranks among the technology leaders in tire production and offers a broad product range for passenger cars, commercial and special-purpose vehicles as well as two-wheelers. Through continuous investment in research and development, Continental makes a major contribution to safe, cost effective and ecologically efficient mobility. The portfolio of the Tires business area includes services for the tire trade and fleet applications, as well as digital management systems for tires.

About CBMM: Founding Supplier

CBMM is the world leading supplier of niobium products and technology. Headquartered in Brazil, with offices and subsidiaries in China, Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States. CBMM offers technical innovation to customers around the globe through a team of over 2,000 highly trained, dedicated professionals providing cutting-edge niobium products and technology to over 400 clients in around 40 countries.

About LuisaViaRoma:

Defined by the Financial Times as “A haven for directional fashion,” LUISAVIAROMA.COM is the top online luxury fashion destination with 5,000,000 visitors per month and worldwide shipping. With each new season, the website presents the collections of more than 600 established designers and young emerging talents.

About Zenith: Official Timekeeper and Founding Partner

Zenith exists to inspire individuals to pursue their dreams and make them come true – against all odds. Since its establishment in 1865, Zenith became the first watch manufacture in the modern sense of the term, and its watches have accompanied extraordinary figures that dreamt big and strived to achieve the impossible – from Louis Blériot’s history-making flight across the English Channel to Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting stratospheric free-fall jump. Zenith is also highlighting visionary and trailblazing women – past and present – by celebrating their accomplishments and creating in 2020 its first-ever collection dedicated entirely to them, Defy Midnight. 

With innovation as its guiding star, Zenith features exceptional in-house developed and manufactured movements in all its watches. Since the creation of the El Primero in 1969, the world’s first automatic chronograph calibre, Zenith has gone on to master fractions of the second with the Chronomaster Sport and its 1/10th of a second precision and the DEFY 21 with a precision of 1/100th of a second. Zenith has been shaping the future of Swiss watchmaking since 1865, accompanying those who dare to challenge themselves and break barriers. The time to reach your star is now.

About Allianz: Founding Partner and Official Insurance Partner

The Allianz Group is one of the world's leading insurers and asset managers with more than 100 million private and corporate customers in more than 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 790 billion euros on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage 1.7 trillion euros of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are amongst the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2020, over 150,000 employees achieved total revenues of 140 billion euros and an operating profit of 10.8 billion euros for the group.

About Vodafone Business: Official Technology and Communication Partner
With expertise in connectivity, global scale and the leading IoT platform, Vodafone Business is a leading technology communications company helping organisations succeed in a digital world and keeping society connected. Vodafone’s purpose is to connect for a better future, enabling an inclusive and sustainable digital society, and many of its solutions have sustainability and inclusivity embedded.

Unique in its scale as the largest pan-European and African technology communications company, Vodafone transforms the way we live and work through its innovation, technology, connectivity, platforms, products and services. Vodafone operates mobile and fixed networks in 21 countries, and partners with mobile networks in 52 more.  As of 31 December 2021, they had over 300m mobile customers, more than 28m fixed broadband customers and over 22m TV customers.

This collaboration will see Vodafone Business leading innovations and capabilities such as 5G, MPN, IOT and MEC, integrated into Extreme E’s global operations and will include full involvement in the purpose- driven elements of the series, with special prominence on Extreme E’s Legacy Programmes and the Science Laboratory on board the St Helena.Through its IOT solutions, Vodafone Business is helping sustainability efforts, including agriculture, forestation and decarbonisation of energy grids.

Find out more on http://www.Vodafone.com/business  and follow Vodafone on its social media channels:
Twitter: @VodafoneGroup
LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/company/vodafone

About Neat Burger: Official Plant-based Partner

Neat Burger is the first of its kind – the planet-friendly, plant-based, full-flavoured game-changer the world has been waiting for. The world’s first plant-based sustainable burger chain, Neat Burger offers a menu that appeals to not only those who follow plant-based diets, but anyone, meat-eaters included, who wants to eat delicious meat-free dishes that are more sustainable, healthier and ethical. The brand is backed by seven-time FIA Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, in collaboration with hospitality organisation The Cream Group and investors, as well as UNICEF Ambassador and early backer of Beyond Meat Tommaso Chiabra.

Neat Burger opened its first site in September 2019, just off Regent Street in London, and its second and third dine-in outlets at Camden Market and Soho in 2020. Plans for global expansion across Europe, the US and Middle East are already in place for 2021 and beyond.

About EY: Official Innovation Partner

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy, transaction and consulting services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.

About INTERprotección: Official Insurance Broker

INTERprotección is composed of a group of Mexican insurance, reinsurance and surety bond brokerage companies. With global presence and recognition, INTERprotección has more than 40 years of experience in management and comprehensive risk consulting in the Mexican market. Its business model is focused on bringing the client to the forefront and offering them the best service through innovative and disruptive products, more recently with its new brand ​inter.mx,​ its insurance digital platform that is transforming the insurtech game. Follow INTERprotección on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter ​@I​NTERproteccion

About Enel X Way: Official Smart Charging Partner

Enel X Way is the Enel Group's new global business line entirely dedicated to electric mobility. Currently, Enel X Way manages approximately 320,000 charging points, both directly and through interoperability agreements in place worldwide1. As a global platform for e-mobility, the company is focused on developing flexible charging technologies and solutions to improve the customer experience by supporting the electrification of transport for consumers, businesses, cities and public administrations

Find out more on https://enelxway.it/en/home and follow Enel X Way on its social media channels:

LinkedIn:  Enel X Way

Twitter: @enelxway

Instagram: @enelxway 

Facebook: @enelxway

¹ Public and private charging points, including points of interoperability.