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MSc students design products aimed at helping blind and vision impaired people increase physical exercise
Creative solutions to help blind and vision impaired people increase physical exercise, developed by students on the Master of Science in Design & Innovation in ATU, were showcased at a trade fair -style event in ATU Galway recently.
One student team developed an indoor, active game for children which immerses the child in an imaginary adventure that promotes movement. The game called “Apollo” uses sound and haptic feedback to guide the child without relying on vision. The second student team focused their efforts on helping blind and vision impaired adults to independently access online exercise classes, providing easy web access solely through voice, which is particularly important for rural based blind and vision impaired people. The product is called, “iiuvo” (from the Latin “to assist”). The team found that many BVI people needed help from a sighted person merely to access websites, even when the sites themselves were BVI friendly.
The challenge was inspired by two research studies carried out by DCU in collaboration with Vision Sports Ireland. Click here and here to read the two reports.
Speaking at the ATU Galway event, Emer Cahill, Chair of the Master of Science Programme, explained that the part-time students undertake a Design Innovation Project (DIP) where they must apply Design Thinking methodologies and research skills, combined with their varied other professional and personal skills, to develop a solution proposal which they present at an ExpoLab in ATU.
Last summer, they participated in Vision Sports Ireland’s Mayfest, Vision Sports Members find their tribes at #MayFest25, a weekend annual event where BVI children and adults get to try out a wide variety of sports.
“It was a wonderful, fun and inspiring event and provided an insightful experience for our student”, says Emer. “It was a privilege to collaborate with Kristina Millar, National Impact and Insights Manager of Vision Sports Ireland, and colleague Sara McFadden, Partnerships and Operations Coordinator. They provided introductory talks and set up contacts, allowing our students to develop a deep understanding of the lives of people effected. Our thanks too to Mona Sharma, Senior Industrial Designer at Logitech, Logitech Europe, in Cork and Rosie Frost, Logitech’s Head of Design for Accessibility and Inclusion, who generously collaborated with the DIP project teams. They shared their professional skills, participating in workshops, and giving invaluable feedback and guidance. We are immensely grateful for their support”, added Emer.
In previous years ATU MSc in Design & Innovation students collaborated on projects with Galway Parkinsons and Western Alzheimers.
The Master of Science in Design & Innovation currently runs on a two-year, part-time cycle. Applications for 2026/28 will open in mid-spring. Students learn by doing, a significant amount of work is team based and assessment is 100% project based.
The programme provides students with key skills in innovation, design, management and leadership based on the Stanford ‘Design Thinking’ model. The focus is on developing human centric design skills for innovation in products, processes and services.
Although administratively based in the Engineering School, the programme was a joint creation by the formerly titled Schools of Business, Creative Arts & Media and Engineering. It is multi-disciplinary in content and in the skills of the student cohort, who may have backgrounds in the humanities, business, technology or science. Students learn from each other in a diverse team setting with the aim of developing into innovation leaders. The programme won the ‘Best Masters Programme’ award at the Education Awards in 2022.
- Click here on this YouTube clip to hear the students describe their projects.
- Listen to an audio version of the press release here
Picture captions:
L to R: Martin Taggart, ATU lecturer; Patrick O’Hare, Galway city, who works in ATU Dept of Creative Arts & Design; David Keary, ATU lecturer; ATU MSc student Jim O’Dwyer from Roscrea, Tipperary, who works in the HSE; Iain Fordham, Kinvara, Co Clare, who works in Boston Scientific; MSc student Finbar Maguire from Kinvara, Co Clare, who works with Aerogen; ; MSc students Hannah McCreanor from Mervue, Galway City , who works in Merit Medical, Mervue; Emer Cahill, Chair of MSc in Design & Innovation; Sharon Boyle, lecturer; Derek Thornton, lecturer; Gabriel Costello, founder of the MSc in Design & Innovation.
Photo 1
L to R: ATU MSc students Hannah McCreanor from Mervue, Galway City, who works in Merit Medical, with Iain Fordham, Kinvara, Co Clare, who works in Boston Scientific, showing their project “Apollo”, an indoor active game for blind and vision-impaired young children.
Photo 2
L to R: ATU MSc student Jim O’Dwyer from Roscrea, Tipperary, who works in the HSE; Mona Sharma, Logitech, Professional Adviser; MSc student Patrick O’Hare, Galway city, who works in ATU Dept of Creative Arts & Design; Emer Cahill, Chair of MSc in Design & Innovation; MSc student Finbar Maguire from Kinvara, Co Clare, who works in Aerogen, pictured with their product “iiuvo” (from the Latin “to assist”, which aims to help blind and vision impaired adults independently join online exercise classes, providing easy web access solely through voice.
Regina Daly, Atlantic TU Communications
Tel: +353 (0)91 742826 Mob: +353 (0)879618355
regina.daly@atu.ie www.atu.ie/news
