Pyri — a cutting-edge device inspired by pinecones — has been named the UK National Winner of the 2024 James Dyson Award. Developed by a team of young inventors studying at Imperial College and the Royal College of Art in London, Pyri hopes to put an end to widespread destruction from wildfires.
Inspired by nature, this small detection device uses radio frequency signals to alert vulnerable communities as soon as the earliest signals of a wildfire are spotted — hopefully saving lives in the process.
Richard Alexandre holds up a prototype of the Pyri, which was awarded a £5,000 price from James Dyson in the 2024 UK National competition
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The invention, inspired by serotinous pinecones — that only release seeds in the presence of fire, is designed to be low-cost, easy to install, and requires zero maintenance, making it ideal for remote and unprepared communities. Like the pinecones that inspired its design, Pyri activates when exposed to heat from nascent wildfires, triggering its organic electronics to emit a radio frequency alert signal.
The final design is the result of 20 experimental prototypes. In total, the small team behind the device experimented with more than 46 material combinations to find the ideal solution.
Having clinched the UK National Winner gong, Richard Alexandre, Karina Gunadi, Blake Goodwyn and Tanghao Yu, all aged between 24 and 33, will now receive £5,000 to further develop their prototype from Sir James Dyson, the British inventor behind the renown vacuum cleaner and haircare brand.
The prize fund should enable the close-knit team to produce fully functional prototypes and continue collaborating with communities around the world who will benefit most from this early-warning system.
The risk from wildfires is steadily growing, claiming over 300 lives and inflicting a staggering $50bn in global costs in 2023 alone. Climate change is projected to intensify both the frequency and severity of these fires. Areas of the planet that were previously unaffected by these fires — like the Arctic — now face a heightened risk.
Speaking about the invention, Head of Strategy at Pyri, Richard Alexandre said: "We’re thrilled that Pyri has won the UK National James Dyson Award, allowing us to further progress our invention, with hopes to reduce the devastation that wildfires can cause globally.
"As a Brazilian, I have a personal connection with the solution that we have created after seeing firsthand the devastation that wildfires caused in Pantanal. As this devastation seems to continue around the world, we hope that with Pyri we can detect fires early enough to protect the earth from this kind of catastrophe in the future, bringing this solution to the communities that need it."
From 2001 to 2022, forest fires released a colossal 33.9 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide globally, exacerbating climate concerns. Even more worrying, experts predict a 50% increase in extreme wildfires by 2100, suggesting that gadgets like Pyri could play a pivotal role in protecting vulnerable communities and saving lives.
Rumyana Dancheva, Senior Design Engineer at Dyson and James Dyson Award UK National Judge, said: "I am delighted that Pyri is this year’s James Dyson Award UK National Winner, as it is a wonderful example of an innovative idea that solves an increasing global problem.
"The team has developed a compelling product with a fascinating take on functionality, technology, shape and sustainability. Pyri has the potential to have a huge positive impact on both people and the environment through the early detection of wildfires."
The Pyri is inspired by the serotinous pinecones — that only release seeds in the presence of fire
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The James Dyson Award is an international design competition that challenges young engineers to "design something that solves a problem". Entrants must be, or have been within the last four years, enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate engineering or design-related course at university.
The competition process involves national judging, followed by international shortlisting. Sir James Dyson personally selects the final international winners.
Pyri will now progress to the international stage of the award. The top 20 shortlist will be announced on October 16, with international winners revealed on November 13. The international winners will receive up to £30,000 to fund their invention, while the runners-up will pocket £5,000.