Pharmalytics – an Intel Galileo powered connected pharmacy fridge device – invented and prototyped at unique event hosted by DCU Innovation Campus and PCH
DUBLIN, Ireland, September 14, 2014 – PCH International, the company that designs custom manufacturing solutions for startups and Fortune 500 companies, today announced Pharmalytics has been selected as the winner of Ireland’s first dedicated Hardware Hackathon. This two-day event, held in partnership with the Dublin City University (DCU) Innovation Campus, saw over 120 hardware enthusiasts as well as multiple prototyping equipment providers come together over the weekend to collaborate from concept stage to final product and ultimately led to the development of a range of innovative hardware solutions. As part of the event Intel provided more than 50 Galileo microcontroller boards to facilitate the various different ideas and concepts being explored.
First place ‘Pharmalytics’ team are pictured at the event |
Intel Galileo is the first in a line of Arduino-compatible development boards based on Intel architecture and is designed for the maker and education communities. The platform is easy to use for new designers and for those looking to take designs to the next level. The Galileo board and the Intel® Quark SoC X1000 by which it is powered were both designed in Ireland at the Intel campus in Leixlip, Co. Kildare.
After a busy weekend of planning, designing, creating and pitching the winners of the first ever Hardware Hackathon were announced:
• First prize went to Pharmalytics, who developed and prototyped a connected pharmacy fridge with sensors to monitor temperature and medicines in the fridge. The device sends alerts to pharmacies ensuring medicines are kept at correct temperatures and do not have to be checked manually. The product also Incorporated an Intel Galileo board. The team was awarded a €1,500 fund for the continuing development of the product, sponsored by AIB and an individually tailored “Start Your Own Business” course, sponsored by Dublin City Local Enterprise Board. In addition, the winning team will receive a number of electronic engineering consultations with PCH’s award winning in-house team and a variety of equipment to assist in bringing the product to market.
• Second prize was awarded to Homebox who created a smart package delivery box that allows delivery companies to securely delivery a package when nobody is at home. The team received a €1,000 fund and will also benefit from a “Start Your Own Business” course among other prizes.
• Third prize was awarded to Eco-pulse who developed a product for monitoring water quality in residential areas not connected to main water sources. The team received €500.
Among the other prototypes developed at the weekend were an intelligent visor system, a connected way-finding helmet, a room temperature optimization system, a sensored safety helmet, smart vending machines, a radar collision prevention system for cyclists, a tracking device for valuable objects, wearable devices for livestock to help in their management and smart sensors for fire safety.
Liam Casey, CEO and Founder of PCH said, “We want to thank all those who participated in the Hackathon and in particular, DCU for welcoming the event to the Innovation Campus, and partnering with PCH to make this event a reality. We were genuinely amazed and excited by the level of creativity, passion and drive we saw from participants over the weekend. From experienced tech enthusiasts to emerging talent, we watched as innovative ideas became a reality. Well done to all the participants and particularly to the winning team, Pharmalytics. It’s clear evidence of the fantastic potential that lies in the Irish IoT, hardware and ‘maker’ community generally.”
The Hackathon brought together entrepreneurs, product designers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, developers, equipment suppliers and makers from across Ireland to conceive and prototype connected devices. Teams worked over 46 hours to design and create their products, working until the final presentation to a panel of judges today. The judges included representatives from DCU, PCH, AIB, Cisco, Tyndall Institute, Design Partners and Frontline Ventures.
A team of people representing Intel were on hand throughout the weekend to provide guidance and technical know-how on incorporating the Galileo board and Intel’s Philip Moynagh, VP, Internet of Things Group (IoT), spoke to participants at the outset of the event about ‘the rise of IoT and how Ireland can take part’ and also participated in a panel discussion which concluded the event.
Speaking at the event Philip Moynagh remarked, “It’s not Internet of Powerpoint. Or Internet of Opinion. It’s Internet of Things. And there’s no better demonstration of the transformation that is the Internet of Things than a Hardware Hackathon. Watching 100 engineers, developers, designers and entrepreneurs starting with real-world-problems, adding two days of collaborative making, and producing real functioning prototypes is just fantastic. Of course, it’s all the more exciting for us when these smart-Pharma-fridges and communicating-bike-helmets are based on our very own Quark driven Galileo’s”.
Brian MacCraith, DCU President said, “It was fantastic to partner with PCH, a global leader in connected hardware, to put on this important event. DCU has exciting plans in the IoT and Maker Movement space and the Hackathon is a perfect precursor to the arrival of Techshop Dublin on the Innovation Campus next year. We look forward to continued collaboration with PCH, Intel, Techshop, the IoT companies based on our Innovation Campus, as well as with Government stakeholders, in our collective efforts to drive innovation and jobs in this critical sector for Ireland”.
The Hackathon concluded with a lively panel discussion looking at how startups and multinationals and other stakeholders can ensure that Ireland is a leading hub for IoT innovation and job creation. The panel featured key industry leaders, including Liam Casey, Founder and CEO, PCH; Paddy Cosgrave, Founder and CEO, The Summit; Philip Moynagh, VP, Internet of Things Group, Intel Corporation, Will Prendergast, Partner Frontline Ventures and Ben Harris, CEO, Drop.
Further details on the winning products as well as videos and photography from the event are available at: hwhackathon.com
The Intel team are pictured at the Hardware Hackathon |
Further Information
About PCH
PCH designs custom manufacturing solutions for startups and Fortune 500 companies. Whether design engineering and development, manufacturing and fulfillment, distribution or retail, PCH takes on the toughest challenges. If it can be imagined, it can be made. At PCH, we make. Pchintl.com
About Dublin City University Innovation Campus
The new DCU innovation campus will facilitate a clustering of ‘bits’ and ‘atoms’ focused companies and provide them with physical office and prototyping/engineering space, as well as demonstration and commercialisation opportunities, co-located and working in partnership with DCU researchers. Dcu.ie/innovationcampus
About Intel
Intel is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices.
Additional information about Intel is available at:
Web – intel.ie | Twitter – @Intel_IRL | Facebook – Intel Ireland
Media contact: Sarah Sexton | sarah.sexton@intel.com | + 353 1 606 8537
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