Engineering with Heart: How a Burnley Student’s invention, SMA Jacket, gives hope
It all started with a simple question: “If you were an engineer, what would you do?”and for 15 year old Krystyna Marshall, who in 2018 was Burnley student at Sir John Thursby Community College, her answer was one of selflessness and compassion. She wanted to help her younger cousin, who has a condition called Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), which develops in babies less than 6 months old, is incurable and the most severe type of degenerative disease. Her invention provides the wearer with support for the skeleton and gives extra strength to the back muscles and spine.
Krystyna said “By making this design a reality, a new world can be opened up to children with spinal conditions. The invention allows them to carry out simple tasks that were previously impossible, such as sitting up in bed or tying their shoelaces. For children with SMA, this is life changing.”
She submitted her life-changing engineering invention, the Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) jacket, to the “If you were an engineer, what would you do?” annual STEM competition, ran by Primary Engineer.
UK School pupils from the ages of 3-19 are tasked with interviewing an engineer, before being asked to identify a problem in the world around them and coming up with a creative, engineered solution to that problem. All entries are read and graded by professional engineers, with every single pupil who takes part receiving a named and graded certificate. The competition then culminates in exciting regional public exhibitions and award ceremonies, where shortlisted designs are displayed, and the winners and highly commended are invited on stage to receive their awards. In 2018, Krystyna was recognised and celebrated as a ‘Winner’ for her year group at the regional Burnley awards.
The University of Lancashire, one of Primary Engineer’s partners at the time, selected her concept to be developed into a working prototype, recognising its real-world potential. The ProtoTeam who built the prototype did so alongside Krystyna, who was an active collaborator. The finished prototype was unveiled in 2019 at the regional Burnley award ceremony.
In 2021, she achieved a significant feat by winning a Gold medal at the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal for her caring and imaginative invention. The young inventor was just one of six medallists from across the UK to have been recognised as a leading creative problem solver in engineering innovation following the announcement of the inaugural Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal winners at COP26.
At the time, The University of Lancashire’s Dr Matthew Dickinson, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, said: “As a team, we’re absolutely delighted to be named an inaugural winner of the 2021 Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal. It just goes to show what can be achieved when a great idea is turned into reality through an innovative engineered solution. We are still working on the jacket and developing new applications that utilise the same 3D printed technology but what’s really exciting is to know we’ve all played a part in producing something that could have life-changing consequences for potentially thousands of people worldwide.”
Dr Matthew Dickinson of the University of Lancashire, lead engineer on the ProtoTeam, continued developing the SMA Jacket and produced several new iterations exploring the wider applications of exoskeletons. His work led to collaboration with ASTM International’s Exo Technology Center of Excellence, bringing together industry, healthcare, academia and government to accelerate safety and reliability standards for exoskeleton systems.
Dr Dickinson went on to found Viking Exos, a company developing state-of-the-art exoskeletons designed to enhance human performance, reduce injury risk, and transform the future of work and mobility.
The invention was displayed at The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal ceremony at the prestigious Drapers’ Hall in London on November 2025. University of Lancashire’s Dr Matthew Dickinson, Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering joined virtually via video link to interact with people. The Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal 2025 Award Ceremony is a collaboration between Primary Engineer and The MacRobert Trust, with support from Weir Group PLC and Christopher Ward.
Dr Susan Scurlock MBE, Founder and CEO of Primary Engineer, said: “Waiting in the wings of Primary Engineer has always been the thought that one day one of those involved in the programme will achieve our vision of making the world a better place to be. That has been achieved, to staggering effect, by Krystyna Marshall and Dr Matt Dickinson at UCLan who, through the Leaders Award, have changed the way suffers of SMA will be treated – without doubt making their world a significantly better place to be. We are very proud to have played a part in this amazing story.”
It all began with the SMA Jacket – and that innovation is now helping to change the world.