Two Purdue Polytechnic graduate students who submitted a proposal to the University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs won a first place award for their proposal in July.
Students Sooyon Jin and Jialong Sun from the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology (SATT) developed a concept for a multifunctional airport luggage cart under faculty advisor Mary Johnson.
Jin and Sun recognized a need to improve accessibility in air travel for a wide range of passengers, so they aimed to create a cart that was safer, had a positive benefit-cost ratio, and could be produced more sustainably.
“We questioned whether current airport luggage carts currently accommodate passengers with disabilities and aging travelers,” Jin said in their presentation. “The answer unfortunately is no.”
They named their proposed cart “The Chariot,” which is a considerable upgrade from existing luggage carts and provides accessibility solutions. The Chariot features adjustable handle height, a wheelchair attachment, a digital device for wayfinding, and electric power for movement and charging devices.
The competition held by the Transportation Research Board’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) is now in its 18th year. It encourages students to design innovative and practical solutions to challenges at airports.
Winners were chosen from four technical challenge areas:
- Airport Environmental Interactions
- Airport Safety, Operations, and Maintenance
- Passenger Experience and Innovations in Airport Terminal Design
- Airport Management and Planning
Student competitors worked with a faculty advisor and reached out to airport operators and industry experts for advice and feedback on the practicality of their proposed design solutions.
First place winners received their awards and presented their work at a ceremony at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on July 31, 2024. They will be given the opportunity to present their winning proposals at an industry professional conference or workshop this fall. Winning teams received $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place, $1,000 for third place, and $500 for honorable mentions. Other Purdue teams won second place and honorable mentions.
The Virginia Space Grant Consortium in Hampton, Virginia, manages the competition on behalf of the ACRP. Funding for the competition is provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Volunteer panels of airport industry and academic practitioners as well as FAA representatives selected the winning submissions from 31 student teams.
Additional information
- National institute awards grant to innovate engineering technology curriculum