Internet of things – there’s a degree for that now

17 Jun 2015

Pictured: Dr James O’Sullivan, Technology Transfer Manager WIT; Eamonn deLeastar, course leader and TSSG co-founder; Prof Willie Donnelly, President WIT and TSSG co-founder; Kathryn Kiely, Industry Services Manager WIT; Dr Mícheal Ó Fodhlu, CTO Feedhenry and Barry Downes, TSSG.

One of the world’s first formal internet of things qualifications has been created at Waterford Institute of Technology.

The Bachelor of Science (Hons) in the Internet of Things will prepare graduates for the next wave innovation in computing.

The programme will explore the software and devices that are transforming the way we live, work and interact. Graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to become a new type of Software Professional.

They will possess an in-depth understanding of how connected devices can interoperate with mobile and cloud applications to deliver new categories of product and services.

“The Internet of Things degree embodies a fusion of skills previously seen as separate disciplines: programming and the world of digital and analogue electronics,” said Eamonn de Leastar, joint Course Leader of the programme.

Implementing the future

“While our primary focus will be in first class software skills, understanding devices, sensors, networking and communications technology will offer fascinating insights to our students. We believe they will be able to envisage, design and implement the future.”

The programme has been jointly developed by Department of Computing & Mathematics and the Department of Engineering Technology at WIT. In addition, the development team encompasses expertise from the WIT research community active in the IoT domain.

In particular, it will combine the expertise of research teams at TSSG, the Convergence Technologies Research Group (CTRG), a multi-disciplinary research cluster combining expertise in various next-generation technologies, and the Automotive Control Group, very active in automotive research, with a particular focus on the connected car of the future.

 

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com