Each year, Trinity’s teams work on a diverse portfolio of projects with international partners that provide innovative solutions to the needs of different industries, across both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. This year’s sponsors included a large multinational software company, an Irish SME that makes agricultural machinery, and not-for-profit charities in the healthcare sector.

One of this year’s teams addressed the challenge of helping people with intellectual disability better integrate into society. Working with their end users, the team discovered that navigation and way-finding present significant challenges for people with intellectual disability, and for their carers. Their solution comprised a smartphone app connected to a smart-watch, which gave simple, easy-to-follow directions through the smart-watch and, optionally, through earphones to the user. The carers’ app meanwhile received live updates on the position of the user and their destination, and also monitored their heartrate, which was important in detecting anxiety.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• Work in in multidisciplinary teams on a technically ambitious and challenging project.
• Identify user needs and develop solution concepts to meet those needs.
• Analyse potential market and societal benefits of developed solutions.
• Conduct patent searches and analyse prior intellectual property.
• Liaise with professional engineers and other staff in the commercial sector in a professional and timely manner.
• Pitch design concepts at an advanced level, utilising prototypes and multi-media tools.

Prototypes and plans that address solutions to day-to-day challenges that they have identified.