DIT leads by Invention
The DIT Inventor Competition promotes innovation and creativity taking place within DIT and recognises DIT staff, students and researchers as inventors. Over the years many clever inventions have been entered including technology that takes turbulence out of flying, animation software, audio thumbnail generation technology for music lovers, hologram technology for mass production and even a Phlebotomy Aid for the extraction of blood samples.
The competition has gone from strength to strength and applications are scored on originality, market potential and development / commercialisation feasibility. The event sponsors are DIT Hothouse Innovation and Technology Transfer Office and Hanna, Moore & Curley Dublin-based Patent Attorneys.
The winners of the 2010 Inventor Competition are;
Best Overall Invention
Tunepal and Dr Bryan Duggan
This is a query-by-playing search engine for traditional dance tunes, with a database of more than 11,500 melodies. If you’ve ever wondered about the name of a tune you have in your head, you can simply play a phrase from the tune into the search engine, and it will search for a match within its database. Tunepal has already sold a few thousand copies, mostly on iPhone but a few hundred on Android. It continues to sell at a rate of about 40 per week. There are about 500 tune searches per day being made. Tunepal has users in 22 countries. It costs @ $ 3.99
Best Staff Invention
Digital Media Centre - Charlie Pritchard, Dermot Campbell, Dr Yi Wang and Frank Duignan
Tonal Assessment System (TAS) in a mobile platform for learning spoken Chinese offers a novel solution to the tonal problem and the difficulty with word segmentation, involving a considerable time saving over traditional methods and is suited to learning with mobile devices. This project has produced a programme to help Westerners with their production of Chinese tones and word formation. It combines the advantages of phrase-book, dictionary, self-tester and pronunciation tutor in a single mobile device.
Best Student Invention – Joint Award
James O’ Meara with 3 Point Quick Link : James developed a 3 point quick attach mechanism for agricultural tractors which allows the driver to safely couple implements to tractors and adjust them without leaving the seat. The Quick-link allows the operators to safely couple and adjust heavy machinery with-out leaving the cab. It uses one of the tractors hydraulic services to couple to the implement and also includes a heavy duty hydraulic top link which allows on the move adjustment of the implement from the cab. It also couples hydraulic services as the implement is secured .
Carol Grimes with The Precise Paediatric Cannula: is an invention which allows a healthcare professional to know with certainty when the cannula has been inserted into the vein and with added benefit of distracting the child and minimizing distress and discomfort.
Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to our sponsors Hanna Moore & Curley Patent Agents.
