Universal Design Grand Challenge 2016

On Thursday 26th May 2016, students from third-level colleges across Ireland presented their design projects at the third annual Universal Design Grand Challenge Awards ceremony in the Science Gallery, Dublin. The awards are an initiative of the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority, supported by Enterprise Ireland.

The theme of this year’s awards was “Solutions so smart they work for everyone”. 

UDGC 2016 Winners!

WayFinder wins the UDGC People's Choice Award 2016

The People’s Choice award, which was voted on by audience members, went to Robbie Fryers and Talita Holzer Saad, from Trinity College Dublin, for their design “WayFinder” which is a navigational aid that makes safe, independent travel a possibility for all its users - including pre-teens, the elderly and those with an intellectual disability.

UDGC 2016 Wayfinder

UDGC 2016 Robbie Fryers

Pictured Above from L to R: Dr Ger Craddock, Chief Officer, Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority, Bill Kearney (KEYNOTE) Vice President IBM Ireland Lab, Robbie Fryers Trinity College Dublin, winner of the UDGC 2016 People’s Choice award and Jack Gregan winner of the UDGC 2015 Peoples Choice Award.

Universal Student Accommodation wins the UDGC Judges Choice - Built Environment Award 2016

The Judges Choice Award for Built Environment went to Megan Lee from Dublin institute of Technology for her design “Universal Student Accommodation”. The design is for student accommodation at the new DIT college campus in Grangegorman, Dublin and is based on the 7 principles of universal design.

UDGC 2016 Universal Student Accommodation

UDGC 2016 Megan Lee

Pictured above from L to R:  Dr Ger Craddock, Chief Officer, Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority, Christopher Wallace winner of the UDGC 2014 Judges Choice and Peoples Choice Awards, Laura Magahy, Director MCO, Chair of Irish Design 2015.and Megan Lee Dublin institute of Technology, winner of The Judges Choice Award for Built Environment Category

Orb Organiser Alarm wins the UDGC Judges Choice - Products and Services Award 2016

The Judges Choice Award for Products and Services went to Greg Butler from the Dublin Institute of Technology for his design “Orb Organiser Alarm” which has the standard functions of an alarm clock with the added benefit of remote and time controlled plugs to trigger electrical devices when an alarm goes off. The product is aimed at people with limited mobility and poor organisational skills.

UDGC 2016 Orb Organiser Alarm

UDGC 2016 Greg Butler

Pictured above from L to R:  Dr Ger Craddock, Chief Officer, Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority, George Boyle President, Institute of Designers in Ireland, Isobella Moorehead  NCAD joint winner of the UDGC 2015 Enterprise Ireland Universal Design Commercialisation Award and Greg Butler Dublin Institute of Technology, winner of The UDGC 2016 Judges Choice Award for Products and Services Category

Automatic Flood Defence Barrier wins the UDGC Judges Choice - Technology Award 2016

The Judges Choice Award for Technology went to Damien Dennehy from Cork IT for his "Automatic Flood Defence Barrier" which automatically detects and prevents flooding through standard domestic and commercial doorways. Damien also took the Enterprise Ireland “Universal Design Commercialisation Award”.

UDGC 2016 Design and Development of an Automatic Flood Defence Barrier

Flood Defence EI UD Commercialisation Award

Pictured above from L to R:  Dr Ger Craddock, Chief Officer, Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority,Damien Dennehy, Cork IT, winner of the 2016 UDGC Judges Choice Award Technology Category and also the Enterprise Ireland sponsored Universal Design Commercialization Award,David Flood  - Commercialization Specialist at Enterprise Ireland

This year is the 2nd year that Enterprise Ireland sponsored The Universal Design Commericalisation Award and Damien was lucky enough also to win this category.  

The Universal Design Commercialisation Award provides support to winners to receive a Commercial Case Feasibility Grant from Enterprise Ireland.  

Read more about the Winners and Runners up.

Runners Up on the Night were:

Design Name: A Universal Learning Hub

Student Name: Georgina Daly

Tutor Name: Merritt Bucholz 

College and Course Name:Architecture, University of Limerick

Individual or Team Entry: Individual

UDGC 2016 A Universal Learning Hub

Design Name: Podular

Student Name: Ronan Hand

Tutor Name: Robert Simpson 

College and Course Name: Product Design, Dublin institute of Technology

Individual or Team Entry: Individual

UDGC 2016 Podular

Design Name: Self-Service Plus: Assisted Automated Teller Booth

Student Name: Alan Grincell 

Tutor Name: Hilary Dempsey

College and Course Name: Institute of Technology Carlow: M.A Industrial Design - Applied Research 

Individual or Team Entry: Individual

UDGC 2016 Self Service Plus Assisted Automated Teller Booth

Design Name: Zeus Generation 1 (ZG 1)

Student Name: Cathal Grant

Tutor Name: Cathal Nolan

College and Course Name: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Mechanical Engineering, IT Carlow

Individual or Team Entry: Individual

Zeus Generation 1

Design Name: The Wiggle Board

Student Name: Ashley Constantine, Patrick Hughes, Ailbhe Tuohy, Theo Mossop

Tutor Name: Aisling Ní Annaidh

College and Course Name: MEEN30030: Mech. Eng. Design II, UCD

Individual or Team Entry: Team Entry

The Wiggle Board

UDGC 2016 All Finalists

Pictured above from L to R: All Finalists from UDGC 2016, Megan Lee, Robbie Fryers, Geg Butler, Damien Dennehy, Ronan Hand, Georgina Daly, Patrick Hughes, Ashley Constantine, Alan Grincell and Cathal Grant