Andrew Cowan, a student at Sutton Grammar School, and his search and rescue robot won the overall prize in the intermediate age group in the Engineering & Technology Category of this year's annual National Science & Engineering Competition, presented at The Big Bang Fair in Manchester.
The National Science & Engineering Competition is an initiative of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills as a response to a recommendation in Lord Sainsbury's report 'The Race to the Top'.
"These awards celebrate the hard work and achievements of young people across the whole of the UK," said the Department.
Cowan's robot has wireless sensors and a camera, enabling it to gather and relay environmental information and to help locate victims in collapsed buildings or rubble.
The competition is coordinated by the British Science Association in partnership with Young Engineers and The Big Bang.
Open to all 11-18 year olds, it accepts projects from all areas of science, technology, engineering and maths.
This year there were 190 projects amongst 346 competitors, including: robotic butterflies, devices to stop children watching too much television, studies of animal behaviour, an urban chicken hut, and a wind-powered iPod.
