James Dyson is looking for ideas that will change the world!

A new edition of an international competition aimed at BEng students has been launched.

Entries for this year's edition of the international James Dyson Award Competition run by the James Dyson Foundation have just opened. The competition is aimed at engineering students involved in the design field. Young engineers can submit their innovative inventions solving pressing, real-world problems now.

Young inventors' ideas have the potential for global impact

Open to all students and recent graduates in engineering and design, the competition aims to identify ambitious projects that address global issues - from cancer diagnosis to natural disasters. International winners to date, who have won global recognition, include an off-road trailer for rescuing injured people in conflict zones, a smart dressing with a sensor that assesses wound healing by measuring pH levels, a paint made from recycled glass that significantly reduces the need for air conditioning, and a device for controlling bleeding from puncture wounds.

Established in 2005, the competition has already supported more than 400 young inventors with cash prizes of more than £1 million. In addition, two-thirds of the global winners to date have gone on to commercialise their ideas.

The international winner and the winning project in the Sustainability category will claim this year's prize of £151,400 to develop their inventions. In contrast, £25,200 will be given to each national winner in all 30 markets where the competition takes place.

Sir James Dyson, founder and chief engineer, said: "The world needs more people of action - problem solvers, not populists who are only interested in problems. Each year, the James Dyson Prize Competition provides a platform for young people to make their medical and environmental inventions, and much more. It is the 'misguided thinking' of inventors that leads to breakthroughs, whether it is developing a new sustainable material or applying clever engineering principles to improve people's lives. I can't wait to see what new inventions this year's edition will bring!"

Former winners have achieved significant success

Previous winners of the competition have enjoyed great success thanks to the global media publicity and the injection of funds that the prize offers. 2009 international winner Yusuf Muhammad, with his invention Automist, a device that fights domestic fires using an ingenious water spray mechanism that uses up to 10 times less water than a traditional system, now runs a successful company that has installed more than 13,000 products. Yusuf is currently seeking international certification ahead of a planned product launch in the US market.

The winner said: "Winning the James Dyson Award has given me huge confidence and a springboard to success. It has allowed me to start a company that has transformed my design concept into a product that protects homes around the world and saves lives. As an internationally recognised award, it is a fantastic tool to bring ideas to life."

Other winners from around the world include:

• The Life Chariot (Poland) - a casualty transport vehicle with a universal off-road trailer used by rescuers in Ukraine.
• The Golden Capsule (South Korea) - a non-contact intravenous (IV) device designed for disaster areas that can be strapped to the patient. Importantly, the solution does not rely on gravity.
• SmartHEAL (Poland) - a smart dressing with a sensor that assesses wound healing by measuring the wound's pH level.
• PlasticScanner (Netherlands) - an open-source scanning device that helps combat plastic waste by detecting the type of plastic.

The national winners and runners-up will compete for a place in the TOP 20 selected by a panel of Dyson experts from various fields, and in turn James Dyson himself will select the winners of the international stage of the competition from among them.

The national winners will be announced on 11 September, the Top 20 projects list on 16 October and the international winners on 13 November.