Twelve-year-old Rebecca Young from Glasgow has captured national attention with her brilliant invention: a heated blanket powered by solar energy, built into a backpack. After seeing homeless people sleeping on the streets, Rebecca felt inspired to find a way to help them stay warm during cold nights. As a student at Kelvinside Academy, she entered her idea into the UK Primary Engineer competition, competing against over 70,000 students, and won the top prize — the MacRobert Commendation Medal,
Rebecca’s design stood out for its creativity, compassion, and real-world impact. She carefully researched backpacks, sleeping bags, and solar panels before creating a lightweight backpack that unfolds into a solar-powered heated blanket. Engineering company Thales was so impressed that they built a working prototype, using copper wiring for heat, flexible frames for easy folding, and solar panels for energy. Rebecca’s invention has been showcased at events across Scotland, giving her a taste of what a future in engineering might look like.
Beyond her engineering success, Rebecca also plays drums in her band, The Girls, but this experience has made her seriously consider a career in STEM. Her teachers, family, and Thales engineers have praised her creativity and kindness, calling her a true example of how young people can turn empathy into real solutions. Rebecca’s story is a powerful reminder that with a little creativity and a lot of heart, even young people can change the world for the better.