Coaster sensing
A load cell measures changes in weight while a piezo vibration sensor detects taps, knocks and movement around the drink.
BSG Robotics wins the PA Raspberry Pi Inspiration Award.
Electric BlueZ, a BSG Robotics Sixth Form team, created SHEild: a smart drink safety system built around Raspberry Pi technology to support women’s safety in social environments. Their work won the Years 12–13 Inspiration Award at the 2026 PA Raspberry Pi Competition and was also recognised with the Social Media Award.
The PA Raspberry Pi Competition challenges school teams to use design, coding and Raspberry Pi technology to create products that make a positive difference to people’s lives.
In 2026, more than 150 teams of students aged 8 to 18 took part in the PA Raspberry Pi Competition. Sixteen teams reached the national final and awards day, where finalists presented to leaders from industry, public services, academia and technology.
BSG Robotics’ team Electric BlueZ won the Years 12–13 Inspiration Award for SHEild, recognised by PA as a project focused on improving women’s safety in social environments.
SHEild is a smart drink safety system designed to detect possible interference with a drink and alert the user in real time.
A load cell measures changes in weight while a piezo vibration sensor detects taps, knocks and movement around the drink.
A Raspberry Pi Pico W reads sensor data, interprets the current state and drives the alert system and phone interface.
A connected phone shows live drink status, supports calibration and can trigger browser vibration alerts when the warning level changes.
The user places a drink on the coaster and calibrates it for that specific drink and starting condition.
The Pico W continuously reads vibration and weight-change data while the coaster is active.
The software interprets readings and assigns a state such as safe, caution, warning or alert.
The coaster LED and phone interface provide clear feedback so the user can act if something appears wrong.
The students communicated both the technical solution and the wider purpose behind it: practical safety technology, designed by young people for a real-world issue.
The team’s submitted video introduces SHEild, the problem it addresses, the build choices and the purpose behind the prototype.
A short live interview clip from 1:50 to 2:50, showing the students explaining the project and its purpose.
SHEild was designed to be more than a concept. The team developed hardware, CAD, electronics, software and a campaign around the same safety mission.
The strength of SHEild is the combination of technical problem-solving and social purpose. The team moved from initial concept to a practical coaster-based system that could be rebuilt, adapted and improved.
SHEild shows what happens when students use engineering and coding to respond to real human needs: they build confidence, technical skill and a product story that matters.
Students worked with embedded hardware, sensor data, MicroPython, wireless communication and real-time feedback.
The project was shaped around a practical safety use case, clear alerts, low-cost hardware and realistic rebuild potential.
The team linked the prototype with awareness, social media, judging communication and a clear student voice.
SHEild is proof that student innovation can be technical, compassionate and ambitious at the same time.
BSG Robotics · Electric BlueZ