In the modern of age of technology and innovation, it might seem as though there is no real need to offer any more inspiration than what currently exists naturally all around us. Yet in reality, when different groups are all chasing the same goals fierce competition can result. This can be considered a positive factor but it can also lead to missteps and a stagnant footing for some. This can hamper innovation and the creative mind.
The Bloodhound Project was created to help forge that creative nature and kick start innovation among those that have lost their edge. It is also inspiring a generation of future engineers. Here’s a piece from The Engineer discussing how a group of student engineers from Lancaster University are directly contributing to the project.
And here’s a video of students at the Joseph Leckie Community Technology College in Walsall firing a model car across their playground at over 80mph, a project inspired by Bloodhound.
The concepts behind the Bloodhound Project are simple: to promote technology that is being developed and to share technical information that is gathered with other engineers.
This latter point may appear, at first blush, to be counter-intuitive or counter-productive, but those involved in the Bloodhound Project believe it serves a greater purpose.
The aim of the Bloodhound Project is, of course, to set the land speed record for a car. Manufacturers and engineers have been chasing this achievement for decades and the record seems to fall nearly every few years, so why continue?
However pushing the envelope is what has helped innovative minds design and build many of the creations we use every day, from computers to airlines, from cell phones to wireless networks.
The Bloodhound Project’s target goal is to create the first car to reach a speed of 1,000 miles per hour. So why open the doors for other engineers to copy? In order to achieve this goal, it will require a host of trial and error, scientific intelligence and creative innovation. The rules for achieving a land speed record are fairly simple, and loose. The car must have at least four wheels with two for steering. Beyond that, the sky is the limit.
All other projects that are chasing the record books will undoubtedly have their own designs, ideals, and approaches and won’t truly be in direct competition with the Bloodhound Project. However while these men and women strive to reach their goal, they are inspiring national surge in science and technology, engineering, and mathematics. By keeping their work open to the public, these engineers are inspiring the next generation of potential scientists and engineers, bringing them into the future with the hope and promises that have somehow been lost recently.
When the record seems to be broken every few years, why bother continuing to try? It harkens to the age old notion that the only true way to continue to grow and develop new innovations is to push the envelope of what currently exists. If it weren’t for this mode of thinking, mankind may never have reached outer space, set foot on the moon, or landed a probe on a neighbouring planet.
The Bloodhound Project is about innovation, goal setting, fund raising, and inspiration. Find out more about it today at the Project Bloodhound SSC website.
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