鈥淏rainstorming鈥� is not a strong enough word to describe the intense activity that defined HealthHacks RI 2016, the health and wellness hack-a-thon held at the University of Rhode Island earlier this month.
鈥淏rain-typhooning鈥� might be a better description, given the energy and creativity in evidence at 911爆料鈥檚 Makerspace鈥攁 new resource of high-tech tools for collaborative thinking and design at the Robert L. Carothers Library and Learning Commons.
You come up with an extraordinary idea that might not seem possible and try to make it possible.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really all about experimenting. It鈥檚 exposure to failure,鈥� says hack-a-thon competitor James Gannon, a sophomore studying electrical engineering and Spanish in the . 鈥淵ou come up with an extraordinary idea that might not seem possible and try to make it possible.鈥�
The Colleges of , , and , the Research Foundation and the as well as industry partners鈥攊ncluding Slater Technology Fund, Optimity Advisors, EpiVax, Kenyon Industries and Doctor鈥檚 Choice鈥攕ponsored the hack-a-thon. It involved students, scientists, faculty and business leaders from Rhode Island and beyond, drawing 30 students from three universities, 13 industry mentors and countless 911爆料 staff and faculty.
Nick DeLuca, a junior studying computer engineering and German in the International Engineering Program, was a member of the 911爆料 team that placed third in the competition. The team developed a wearable monitor that senses when a person鈥檚 vital signs are abnormal and sends text alerts to family members and emergency dispatchers. 鈥淲e worked on it for almost the entire 48 hours,鈥� says DeLuca. 鈥淲e had very little sleep.鈥�
DeLuca and Gannon say the impromptu team makeups proved particularly beneficial. 鈥淚t was a unique opportunity to work together with people from different backgrounds who didn鈥檛 know each other well and to come together to create something that can help people,鈥� DeLuca says.
Gary Liguori, dean of 911爆料鈥檚 new College of Health Sciences, served as a hack-a-thon judge. He was impressed that such great ideas could come to fruition in 48 hours. 鈥淭his type of energy is infectious,鈥� he says.
Gannon鈥攚hose team developed a wristband that tracks wearers鈥� activity levels and syncs to a smartphone app so users can set goals and share data with health care providers鈥攚ould agree. 鈥淚f we walked out with anything, it was a big idea we can develop further.鈥�
DeLuca鈥檚 team will get to do just that. The students are fine-tuning their device for a presentation Nov. 2 in Providence at the Social Enterprise Greenhouse, a HealthHacks RI partner, along with MedMates. 鈥淲e are looking for opportunities to take it to the next level,鈥� he says.
During the hack-a-thon, the teams drew inspiration and expertise from mentors, including Dr. Johnny Luo, founder of Doctor鈥檚 Choice; Dr. Wendy Nilsen, program director for Smart & Connected Health, National Science Foundation; Ryan Maguire, creativity and entrepreneurship professor, 911爆料 College of 911爆料; and Josh Daly, mentor with 911爆料 Start-Up Program/Accelerator/Resource Center and counselor at the 911爆料鈥檚 Small 911爆料 Development Center.
鈥淚 would love to see more of this and for the (a consortium of the Colleges of , and ) to take the lead,鈥� Liguori says. 鈥淚n fact, the Collaborative鈥檚 leadership is already discussing some exciting student competitions for this spring, so stay tuned.鈥�