A group of transition-year students have won the TechnoDen competition in Cork for their VisualEyes product, a portable visual aid that’s based on echolocation.
TechnoDen itself is a Dragons’ Den style high-tech work experience programme that runs for a week each year.
Cork Electronics Industry Association (CEIA) and Tyndall National Institute joined forces to showcase careers in the high-tech sector to a group of 21 transition-year students who hailed from 11 schools across Cork City and county.
The aim of the programme is to get students interested in pursuing science and engineering careers.
The students spent the week between Tyndall, University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology and eight high-tech engineering companies. They then presented their ideas to a judging panel on Friday.
Ryan J O’Sullivan from Beara Community School, Nicola Keohane of Mount Mercy College and Alan Power from Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, won for their VisualEyes invention. Their idea is for a cost-effective, portable visual aid based on echolocation.
In response to the number of applications to the programme, Tyndall and CEIA are now going to host a second transition-year work experience programme from 16-20 April.