2004 Toyota Engineering Society Festival

(from Toyota Press Release)  Toyota Motor Corporation held its Toyota Engineering Society (TES) Festival 2004 event in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, during which a number of original and creative contraptions made using automobile parts were presented by members of the TES. A total of 31 different entries, from a new type of energy-saving vehicle that uses flywheels and steam to the rear tire of a Toyota RAV4 that becomes a separate vehicle when removed, were presented in the invention contest entitled: "Idea Contest: Car Contraptions."

This year's top honours went to the Eco Q - a personal transport device which when pedalled, creates electricity to offer clean power; the Mechanical Centipede - a device which uses pedals to power its 22 centipede-like legs; and first place was awarded to Mr. Masami Hirata, and his 12 colleagues, for their Bubble Crab - a mechanism which uses wipers and radiator fans to create a steady supply of large bubbles.

This year marked the 28th time this event has been held since it began in 1976 as part of the activities of TES, an informal 31,000-member group of TMC employees headed by TMC Executive Vice-President Akihiko Saito. TES's aim is to improve the technical skills of members and contribute to the development of technology and engineering in Toyota's areas of operations.

The TES Festival 2004 and the Toyota Making Things Festival (which featured numerous interactive events) made up the one-day "Waku-Waku World - Cars and Making Things" event. Waku-Waku World is an event open to the general public free of charge under the themes of "making things" and "global environment."