Pupils from Felsted School have worked on an electronic game aimed at helping people with dementia.

The innovative youngsters from partnered up with professional engineers to make the game, which is designed to provide memory practice for players.

The game, similar to 'Simon Says', features colourful light-up buttons and an instructional display screen.

Players are required to replay a sequence of coloured lights.

This development is part of a collaboration between the school and Remap, a charity specialising in the adaptation of everyday objects for people with disabilities.

David Maclean, design and technology lead at Felsted, the co-educational independent boarding and day school, said: "It looks like a fairly basic device, but it involves complex electronics and programming, which our students have developed in conjunction with engineers from Remap.

"They have been enormously enthusiastic about the project and can’t wait to see the real-world application of their work when the game is finished and given to people to help enhance their memories."

A team from Felsted recently reached the national final of a competition to design a can-sized satellite and a submission devised by young Felsted engineers was accepted for the Mars Balloon project, which launched 150 student experiments to an altitude of 30km - above 99 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere - to explore what happens to electronics, materials, plants and food under Mars conditions.

Felsted School first came into contact with Remap at a STEM competition run by the Chelmsford Science and Engineering Society, where a number of Felsted pupils won awards for their designs promoting sustainability.

Miranda Norris, Felsted prep head, said: "Remap is a visionary charity with a mission to help people who live with disabilities to gain more independence through creating custom-made everyday items that match individual needs.

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"Our Felsted learners join children from many other local schools who have been inspired by this work.

"This initiative really demonstrates that science, design, and technology skills acquired at school can be harnessed for tangible, real-world impact."

Founded in 1564, Felsted School is now in its 460th year and celebrated 50 years of co-education in 2020.