Boeing to Sponsor 2004 ASME Student Design Contest Finals (9/7/04)

Technology is playing a key role in assisting the global community with the daunting task of locating undetected anti-personnel landmines, remnants of past wars and conflicts. According to the United Nations Association of the USA, 50 million landmines are buried and active in nearly 70 countries throughout the world. These mines injure or kill thousands of people every year.

This year, ASME student members have been asked to contribute to this noble humanitarian effort by participating in the 2004 ASME Student Design Contest, dubbed "Mine Madness," presented by ASME and sponsored by the Boeing Co.

Some of today's best and brightest mechanical engineering students from around the world will demonstrate their model-scale prototype devices — designed and built to retrieve landmines and to transport them out of harms way. Having already won competitions in their respective regions, the teams will prepare to participate in the finals competition to be held Nov. 14, during the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and RD&D Expo, in Anaheim, Calif., Nov 13–19.

According to the contest rules, the teams must demonstrate the ability of their remote controlled, landmine-seeking vehicles to navigate over and around obstacles, retrieve six simulated mines and transport them to a designated receiving area, all within a three-minute time frame. Each simulated mine will be given a weighted value based on its level of retrieval difficulty. The team that retrieves the highest value of mines will be deemed the winner.

The ASME Student Design Contest, an event showcasing the innovation, problem solving abilities and teamwork of mechanical engineering students, holds its finals competition each year among the events held at the Society's annual Congress.

ASME and Boeing, the world's leading aerospace company, recently announced an alliance that will foster programs and activities of mutual interests, including the areas of technical information exchange at conferences, continuing education and career development, and public advocacy.

"The Boeing Company is pleased to sponsor the 2004 ASME Student Design Contest," said Andy Bicos, Boeing's ASME liaison. "This contest presents an outstanding opportunity for future engineers to experience real-life problem solving, while gaining important design, production and teamwork skills that will benefit their future employment."

Universities and institutes representing this year's international finalists include, the University of Alabama, Carnegie Mellon University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, LeTourneau University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University of New Mexico, North Carolina State University, Oregon State University, Santa Clara University, Southern Illinois University, University of Vermont, Villanova University and Western Kentucky University.

For more information about the 2004 ASME Student Design Contest visit the Web site at www.asme.org/students or contact Tom Wendt at (847) 680-5493.

With headquarters in Chicago, Boeing is the largest aerospace company in the world and is one of the leading U.S. exporters. It is the world's largest manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft, and NASA's largest contractor. The company's capabilities in aerospace also include rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, rocket engines, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communication systems.



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