Bme Pod - My Van Project

[BME Pod]

Hi everyone

In continuation from the introductory post I posted by way of introduction here are some more details about my BME Pod project.

I have earmarked a T6 for the job as I think it has the looks and the means to carry it off.

I’m an academic from the University of Warwick and as part of my job (mainly research around biomedical engineering) I do what we call “outreach” i.e. talking to school children/ public about engineering and the importance of STEM (science technology engineering and maths). I’ve done this in a variety of ways including through Brain Controlled Scalextric, and in my biggest claim to fame wiring up James May to an electric wheelchair through brain-computer interfacing. See the following for the details:

This time I will be building a mobile Pod to take to schools, fairs and whatever all over the country.

The explainer video below gives you a bit of an idea of what the van will be about.

Essentially I want it black, tinted, lowered. Wide cool alloys with subtle artwork. The inside will be like a cross between the space shuttle and the set of TRON Legacy. The idea is to attract attention, get children and public to interact, ask questions and be enthralled with the possibilities that STEM education provides.

The building and fitting out of the van will be part of the education process for the undergraduate students designing, project managing and deploying the systems on board - from the solar panels, to comms and the biomed tech demos.

I have a few avenues I am pursuing for funding but would be greatful if anyone could provide any contacts with people or entities that might be of help in this regard. I am partially self-funding this through my own startup company, EMbody Biosignals, but can only go so far.

Particularly if there are any conversion specialists who might be interested, I would be glad to talk.

Any ideas for looks, styles, suppliers - anything - please do post - I am all ears.

So this is still a project in the making, but I am confident this will happen - one way or another if VW could get involved then I probably won’t de-badge the T6 either!!

I hope this excites you as much as it does me

Thanks!

Christopher

 

[Tourershine]

Essentially I want it black, tinted, lowered. Wide cool

I'm digging the T6 design aspiration

 

[Markymark]

Don't get one with the H4 headlights unless you can bioengineer yourself a bats echolocation system or ESP for driving at night!

Good luck with the project.

 

[BME Pod]

Don't get one with the H4 headlights unless you can bioengineer yourself a bats echolocation system or ESP for driving at night!

Now THERE’S an idea!! We did create a hard hat with blacked out goggles for echo location once - how to transfer that to a van??

 

[MicP]

Cool idea
My only input is a bit of a negative - sorry, but have you been in the back of a t6? Not a lot of space really and you can't stand up unless you have poptop or high roof. Your animation goes to a long wheel base high roof sprinter when talking about what's going on in it which might be a better choice if you want to do things with people in it?

 

[BME Pod]

Cool idea
My only input is a bit of a negative - sorry, but have you been in the back of a t6? Not a lot of space really and you can't stand up unless you have poptop or high roof. Your animation goes to a long wheel base high roof sprinter when talking about what's going on in it which might be a better choice if you want to do things with people in it?

I anticipate the back will be mainly space for a reclined seat and screens - plus storage at the very back to stow away kit. I also want a flip down large screen display underneath the rear door. There shouldn’t be a lot of moving around at the back so I’m not to worried about space.

Cheers