Microsoft Ireland ran the Imagine cup software design competition final on the 30-April in Trinity College Dublin Science Gallery. This was the first year taking the Imagine cup outside Microsoft offices and the Science Gallery proved to be an outstanding success. This years Imagine cup software design competition was sponsored by Enterprise Ireland (€15K), Invest Northern Ireland (€10K), Lenovo (€5K) and Lero (€5K) : Total Sponsorship (€35K). Over the past 3 years Imagine cup has experienced tremendous growth in Ireland and we were delighted to see 550 students register for Imagine cup 2009.Ireland Imagine Cup Software Design Winners 2009:
The winning team from Trinity College Dublin, created an affordable alternative to simulated eye-surgical training for particularly complex operations such as cataract removal surgery. The technology used by the students will speed the training of student doctors who need to perform these operations in Africa, where needless blindness is widespread. The team have support from right to sight http://www.righttosight.com/index.php for their project.
The second prize went to IT Sligo’s AmazED, whose project aims to address the learning needs of young children, enabling them to teach themselves maths with the aid of an NXT Lego Mindstorm that would also teach them hand-eye coordination.
The third prize went to IT Sligo’s MediKnight project, which developed a system that allows experienced medical professionals in the developed world to link directly to medical staff working in under-developed regions.
Innovation Accelerator “Dragons Den”
At this years Imagine Cup final we introduced Innovation Accelerator Dragons Den for the first time. We picked 4 high potential Imagine Cup 2008 teams and gave them business and technical training over the past 12 months. On the day of the Imagine cup final the 4 teams pitched their idea for 5 minutes to 4 “Dragons” selected from Ireland and UK industry. 2 of the 4 teams received support from the Dragons to help commercialise their idea. A really good account of the Dragons Den can be found at http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/12863/randd/irelands-young-innovators-ready-to-take-on-the-world
The 3 teams selected for next years Innovation Accelerator Dragons Den event were as follows
1. IADT Dunlaoighaire – HealthText – Provide simple medical information to parents and children via mobile phones.
2. IT Carlow – Neurosynergy – A neuroscientifically innovative brain fitness (IQ-EQ) game to enhance intellectual (‘IQ’) and emotional (‘EQ’) performance.
3. IT Sligo – Amazed – A game to address the learning needs of young children through building and problem solving.
Best Imagine Cup 2009 A0 Poster Competition
We introduced a new prize this year of best A0 poster. Trinity College Dublin Provost John Hegarty presented the winning prizes to Cristina Luminea, Linzi Ryan and Dana Vasiloaica from Team Amazed IT Sligo. Below is a picture of the winning A0 poster which was truly amazing!!!!…