IDEA

This new product that identifies whether a drink has been spiked was awarded the prestigious ‘College Entrepreneur of the Year 2010’ and the top prize of €10,000 at the Enterprise Ireland Student Enterprise Awards.

The University of Ulster team included Philip Anderson, Clare McCollum, Gordon Baird, Gareth Shappard & Judith McNally, who are all students in the University’s Ulster Business School.

‘Dipsticks’ is a new innovation for automating and enabling the efficient detection of whether drugs have been added to a drink, known as ‘spiking’ a drink. The new product consists of a strip of paper impregnated with chemical reagents, which give a visual indication of the presence of drugs in the liquid being tested. This provides users with a continual test that is built into the stirrer, convenient and free for consumers.

IDEA

Developed by Myles Murray, Gavin O’ Sullivan & Mark Keane from Cork Institute of Technology ‘MobilisTM’ was awarded second prize.

It’s a device for improving the mobility of patients on IV treatment which can give a better patient centric standard of medical care and improve patient recovery time.

IDEA

University of Ulster students Houston Reid, Stephen Cladwell, Terri O’Kane & Jonathan Garland beat off competition from over 250 entries to win the ‘Most Technologically Innovative Idea Award’, sponsored by Cruickshank Intellectual Property Attorneys, of €7,500 plus €20,000 worth of consultancy went to ‘Ecotent’- also from the University of Ulster. EcoTent – is a two man tent constructed completely of 100% biodegradable materials which will solve the problem of clean up operations after music festivals.

The main covering is made from jute tarpaulin, a canvas made from jute. Research confirms major ecological benefits – it is 100% biodegradable, it is the fastest growing crop, with a much higher CO2 assimilation rate than trees. And when discarded, jute totally decomposes, putting valuable nutrients back into the soil.

IDEA

Root Zone Nutrients is a project to develop and manufacture an environmentally friendly organic disease suppressant fertiliser which can help plants develop healthy immune responses and have a much better yield and life expectancy.

Donnchadh Walsh from the Institute of Technology Tralee received an Award of Merit for this innovative product which he is now actively marketing.