Talented developers and researchers are going up against the clock to design creative and original technologies to solve a wide range of issues from health care to mental health to assisted living applications and more.
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)’s Hackathon, which takes place on November 10 and 11, will see teams working on computer, mobile and web applications that could make a real difference to the lives of patients or communities.
Previous apps which have been created from the Hackathon include AutisMe which has transformed the lives of people with autism and their families.
Dr Yasmin Delargy and friend Alison Lehman, who both have children with autism, brought the idea of AutisMe to the hackathon teams in 2014, who then worked with them to create an application that could help make life less stressful for people with autism. Dr Delargy said the Hackathon experience, saying: “What I learned from their whole experience is that you can step out of your comfort zone and do things you never thought you would do.”
Another successful application is MyPancreas which is being developed to help patients with pancreatic cancer through their treatments by providing easily-accessible information.
Consultant surgeon, Dr Giuseppe Garcea who brought the idea of this app to last year’s Hackathon, said: “We found the Hackathon to be invaluable in getting the pancreas cancer app off the ground and used the preliminary model to secure further funding. For my part I am happy to sit down with any interested clinicians to share our experience of both the Hackathon and app development. The Professor's team do an amazing job at this event and I think we should support the event as much as we can."
Students and staff from DMU plus students from Leicester University other volunteers (including DMU graduates from Microsoft and IBM) will get together to work on design and development of applications, in collaboration with staff from other organisations including Leicestershire County Council, Charnwood Borough Council, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, plus several local and national charities, local businesses and organisations.
Dr Samad Ahmadi, Director of Virtual Reality and Assisted Living (VirAL) Research group and founder and organiser of the event, said: “This year’s Hackathon is widening its reach to a national level and for the first time we have proposals from charities and businesses from around the UK. Our event brings together communities, researchers, students and developers to build applications for solving problems which otherwise may not have had funding to support them.
“The event will harness both the energy and creativity of the developer communities and place it alongside the issues facing communities to bring about creative solutions.”
Councils, charities, hospitals, police, museums and service providers have submitted ideas which have then been shortlisted. These are in areas including mental health, assisted living, social care, communities and heath.
Hackathon is organised jointly by the Vir.AL research group at DMU and the DS3 Ltd. in association with Leicestershire County Council. It is free to attend and will be held in Innovation Centre in DMU. DS3 is a new initiative in De Montfort University, supported by HEIF funding, to support students and researchers in developing applications for organisations and charities during the whole year.
Posted on Tuesday 20 October 2015