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Fujitsu Awards showcase innovation at DCU

Creating and debugging android apps, a database which assists the professional development of student teachers and the implementation of enhanced reality software within DCU’s library are the novel innovations that have won today’s DCU President’s Awards for Innovation sponsored by Fujitsu

Presented by Regina Moran, CEO of Fujitsu Ireland, and Professor Brian MacCraith, President of DCU, at The Helix in Dublin, the awards encourage and recognise innovative achievements by students, researchers and staff of DCU and its linked colleges, Mater Dei Institute of Education and St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra.  Ms Moran said,

“It’s very encouraging to see such innovative products, services and solutions highlighted at these awards, from students, researchers and staff alike. Innovation is at the heart of everything we do here in Fujitsu and we’re delighted to continue to sponsor these awards.”

The three winners are:

Student Category

Anoop Sebastian, a final year student in Digital Media Engineering, has created a web-based programme to tackle the difficulties experienced by Android app developers.  His Integrated Development Environment (IDE) provides easy access to Android development tools allowing the user to focus his or her attention purely on app development.  His innovation allows apps to be wirelessly deployed to an Android phone and for log messages generated on the phone to be wirelessly relayed to the web based IDE.  This type of tool could potentially make Android application development much more accessible to those new to the discipline. 

Administrative & Support Staff Category

DCU Library have implemented a suite of Augmented Reality (AR) services to improve the learning experience for DCU students.  AR allows users to view digital content on smartphones and tablets which has been blended with live views of the real-world environment.  Initiatives developed by Library Services include a self-guided podcast tour, digitally accessible library training schedules and eTutorials for students.

 

Academic & Research Category

METIS (Mater Dei Education for Teaching for Information System) is a custom-built web-based environment for School Placements developed by Dr Enda Donlon of Mater Dei’s School of Education.  The database facilitates the professional growth of student teachers by compiling information relating to placements undertaken by as they progress through their degree.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Professor Brian MacCraith, President of DCU praised the quality of applications for the awards,

“The wide variety of entries shortlisted here today is evidence of the innovation running through the veins of staff and students across DCU and its linked colleges.  All the entries build on the cornerstone of research excellence to develop solutions which re-imagine and transform how we do things, impacting on real societal issues.”

 Other shortlisted innovations included:

  • Enactus Society – the DCU branch of a global social student entrepreneurship movement which has developed an Afro-Irish clothing company to empower asylum seekers, cultural and employment support programmes for people with intellectual disabilities and literacy programmes;
  • Food Waste Analytics which enables restaurants and kitchens to work towards eliminating continued waste production;
  • Effective Media Corporation, an online advertising platform merging traditional CAPTCHAS with an advertiser’s slogan
  • DCU Students’ Union information and awareness campaigns on safe sex, mental health and physical well-being.
  • Identity Management Process improvements which streamline and automate IT access for new and departing staff.
  • AmbiSense, a web-enabled, gas monitoring platform which allows users to remotely observe gas behaviour and reduce environmental emissions while maximising gas extraction and utilisation.