The IT Innovation Centre has recently launched the Emerging Technology (ETech) Competition 2017-2018. This is an annual competition aimed at students from across the entire University, encouraging innovative uses of emerging technologies.
The depth and breadth of the ideas that our students come up with each year are a credit to them, and to the University. The students will have the chance to showcase their designs and prototypes at the ETech Competition Demo and Awards Ceremony, held in March 2018.
What are “emerging technologies”?
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Drones
- Cybersecurity
- 3D printing
- Virtual reality
- Augmented reality
- Robot
- Blockchain
- Gesture controlled technologies
- Mobile applications
What innovative ideas have won the ETech Competition previously?
There have been a wide range of different ideas over the years – from help with life at the University, to advanced medical care, to simply being able to find your way around a building! Here are just two examples from recent years:
The winner of the Best Idea 2016-2017 was Jack Hughes, a Computer Science student, with his mobile app – “MyJoe”. The app would provide students with an easy way to keep track of assignments in Canvas; fast access to an up to date timetable; a quick link to Just Ask, the Library Services chat service; plus general help and support, for example opening times, maps and emergency contact details.
The winner of the Best Prototype 2015-2016 was Gwilym James Webb, an Immunology/Liver Research student. His app, “UK-PBC Risk Score Calculator”, enables an easy and quick calculation of the risk of patients with serious liver disease either dying or requiring liver transplantation, based on laboratory parameters.
You can find more examples of previous winners on the ETech intranet pages.
Demo and Awards Ceremony 2018
If you’d like to see what original and creative ideas our students have come up with this year, join us at the ETech Competition Demo and Awards Ceremony. The event will be held during the week commencing 12 March 2018. Further details and invitations will be forthcoming closer to the time.
You can express your interest in the event by emailing itinnovation@contacts.bham.ac.uk.
Contact
If you’d like to find out more about the ETech Competition, get in touch with Li Zhao, IT Innovation Specialist, or Nandy Millan, IT Innovation Manager, at itinnovation@contacts.bham.ac.uk.