2018 Universal Design Grand Challenge Student Awards
On Thursday 24 May 2018, students from third-level colleges across Ireland presented their design projects at the fifth annual Universal Design Grand Challenge Awards ceremony in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin. The awards are an initiative of the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design at the National Disability Authority, supported by Enterprise Ireland.
UDGC 2018 Winners!
'Zipit!' wins the UDGC 2018 Peoples' Choice Award
The Peoples' Choice award, which was voted on by audience members, went to Eveleen Clancy, Cian Moore, Jason Lane, Jason Dalton, Brian O'Mahony, Philip Crowley, Shane Nugent and Cillian Kearney, from Cork Institute of Technology, for their design “Zipit!” which is a redesign of the conventional zipper. This product makes closing a zip more accessible for children, elderly people or those with physical or intellectual disabilities. Zipit! were runners up in the Judges' Choice Award for Product and Services.
Pictured Above: Eveleen Clancy, Cian Moore and Cillian Kearney from the Zipit! team, winners of the UDGC 2018 People's Choice Award, with Professor Liz Sanders, Associate Professor in the Design Department, Ohio State University and founder of MakeTools.
'Bantry Town - Multi Generational Social Housing Project' wins the UDGC 2018 Judges' Choice Award for Built Environment
The Judges' Choice Award for Built Environment went to Frank Dowling, Cork Centre for Architectural Education, for his design “Bantry Town - Multi Generational Social Housing Project”. Cork County Council propose to develop a derelict site in the centre of Bantry Town for use as a multi generational social housing project. The purpose of the design is to facilitate the integration of young families, people with older children or whose families have grown up, elderly people and disabled people.
Pictured above: Laura Magahy, Director, M.CO and Frank Dowling, Cork Centre for Architectural Education, winner of The Judges' Choice Award for Built Environment.
'SensorPath' wins the UDGC 2018 Judges' Choice Award for Products and Services
The Judges' Choice Award for Products and Services went to Darragh O'Boyle, Maynooth University, for his design “SensorPath” which is an innovative safety system that combines state of the art technology with sturdy materials to improve cycling safety.
Pictured above left to right: Darragh O'Boyle, Maynooth University, winner of The UDGC 2018 Judges' Choice Award for Products and Services with SensorPath and Cormac O'Conaire, Creative Director at Design Partners.
'Safely Snooze' wins the UDGC 2018 Judges' Choice Award for Technology
The Judges' Choice Award for Technology went to Darren O'Sullivan, Niamh Savage, Alice Brislane, Dazana Blach, Jason Hawthorne, David Noonan, Conor Cremin, Shane Guerin and Darren Cremin, Cork Institute of Technology for "Safely Snooze" which is a real-time device for those who experience sleep paralysis, worn on the wrist while sleeping. Sensors detect increases in the user's heart rate and muscle contractions which would indicate the user is experiencing a sleep paralysis episode and the device emits a vibration to wake them up.
Pictured above are Darren O'Sullivan, Niamh Savage, Shane Guerin and a team member from the Safely Snooze Team and Declan Brady, President, Irish Computer Society.
'The PolyMouse' wins the UDGC 2018 Enterprise Ireland Universal Design Commercialisation Award
The Enterprise Ireland Universal Design Commercialisation Award went to Stephen Johnson, Kevin Prior, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird and Brian McGrath, University of Limerick, for their design 'The PolyMouse' which is the world's first 3D printed custom computer mouse. The mouse is designed to fit the exact dimensions of a user's hand to maximise comfort and minimise the likelihood of repetitive strain injuries. The PolyMouse was also a runner up for the Judges' Choice Award for Technology.
Pictured above: David Flood, Commercialisation Specialist at Enterprise Ireland with Stephen Johnson and Kevin Prior, University of Limerick, from The PolyMouse team, winners of the UDGC 2018 Enterprise Ireland Universal Design Commercialisation Award
Runners Up on the Night were:
Runners Up for the Judges' Choice Award for Built Environment
- Design Name: Adriana Grierosu
Student Name: Adriana Grierosu
College and Course Name: Dublin Institute of Technology
- Design Name: Shaikha
Student Name: Shaikha Alyafei
College and Course Name: Interior Design and Furniture, Dublin Institute of Technology
Runners Up for the Judges' Choice Award for Products and Services
- Design Name: Poschair
Students Names: Nathan Harman, Christopher McEnrey, Samuel MacCarthy, Grace Aribasoye, Diarmuid Doheny, Jack Merkushev, Jack Twomey and Glen Stokes
College and Course Name: Cork Institute of Technology
- Design Name: Zipit!
Students Names: Eveleen Clancy, Cian Moore, Jason Lane, Jason Dalton, Brian O'Mahony, Philip Crowley, Shane Nugent and Cillian Kearney
College and Course Name: Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Business Studies in Cork Institute of Technology
Runners Up for the Judges' Choice Award for Technology
- Design Name: The PolyMouse
Students Names: Stephen Johnson, Kevin Prior, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird and Brian McGrath
College and Course Name: University of Limerick
- Design Name: VITAL
Students Names: Kate Cremin, Gavin Moore, Amelia Feehan, Roisin McKeever and Conn O'Donnell
College and Course Name: Mechanical Engineering, Trinity College Dublin
