The final phase of the Hyperloop Development Competition, part of the Teknofest aviation, space and technology festival, has commenced at the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye's (TÜBİTAK) campus in Istanbul.
According to a statement from Teknofest, the final phase of the Hyperloop Development Competition, which will take place on Aug. 13-17, will feature 16 teams from six provinces and a total of 328 participants.
As part of the competition, teams will be evaluated through two reporting stages: the Progress Report and the Technical Design Report (TDR). In addition to the Performance Awards during the competition final, Innovation Awards and a Steel Levitation Award, which will be introduced for the first time in 2024, are also planned. These awards will recognize the innovative aspects, technical differences and successes of the teams' vehicles.
The Innovation Awards are planned to be given in the following categories: Electromagnetic Levitation System Development, Propulsion System Development, Infrastructure Development, Communication System Development and Mechanical System Development (braking, integration, capsule).
The competition aims to raise awareness in the field of magnetic levitation (maglev) technologies, equip students with knowledge in next-generation transportation technologies, promote teamwork and lead the development of competent human resources in the hyperloop technologies through practical applications. It has set the first prize at TL 200,000 ($5,960), the second prize at TL 150,000 and the third prize at TL 120,000.
The innovation awards that will be presented as part of the competition are also awaiting young participants. Awards will be given in five different categories: Electromagnetic Levitation System Development, Propulsion System Development, Infrastructure Development, Communication System Development and Mechanical System Development. Teams will present their developed subsystems to the jury, and the best-selected presentations will earn a prize of TL 30,000.
According to the statement, hyperloop systems, which are being developed with a new generation rail-beyond system technology that adds a different dimension to conventional transportation technologies and is described as a "high-speed transportation vehicle," are opening a new era in transportation.
Designed as a technology-focused competition that will allow the development of various types of magnetic levitation and propulsion technologies, the Hyperloop Development Competition aims to initiate work on innovative fifth-generation transportation technologies at the university student level.
Teknofest, which has taken action to ensure Türkiye plays an active role in new-generation technologies of strategic importance in logistics, is preparing young people for the future by contributing to the development of trained human resources in this area.
Support is also provided for the projects of the teams participating in the competition, which includes national and international associate, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.
The Hyperloop Development Competition organized by TÜBİTAK aims to establish an infrastructure in Türkiye that will produce solutions contributing to the worldwide technological advancement in high-speed transportation systems, enabling the design and testing of capsules.
