ATU Engineering student project (testing new ablation technology in ovine lung) wins annual undergraduate competition

ATU Engineering student Noreen Kennedy’s project “Testing new microwave flexible ablation technology in ovine lung” has won her the overall undergraduate competition award and the Biomedical Engineering category awards at ATU Galway’s annual Engineering Exhibition and Competition 2024. Noreen’s achievement now gains her automatic entry into Engineer Ireland’s Innovative Student Engineer of the Year competition which takes place in Dublin in the autumn.

The full title of Noreen’s poster is “A Study into how Varying Characteristics of the Lung Affect Ablation Size whilst Utilising New Flexible Microwave Ablation Technology”. Describing her project she says “Microwave Ablation Technology is a relatively new targeted technology being developed to treat lung cancer which can preserve healthy tissue and lung function. For my project, I tested the technology in a simulated and unsimulated ovine lung. The study analysed which test method yielded more repeatable results and analysed how lung characteristic such as water retention and temperature can affect its efficacy.” 

Noreen Kennedy from Killaoe, Co Tipperary, was one of 100 students who digitally exhibited final year poster work, 55 of which were displayed onsite in ATU Galway’s Café Foyer from the 29April to 3 May after a thorough shortlisting and voting process. All the posters were critiqued and judged by a panel of 28 external engineering representatives from 31 sponsoring companies at the formal competition run on campus on Thursday afternoon, 2 May.

Other final year students won engineering awards in different categories – Agricultural, Energy, Manufacturing Engineering Design and Mechanical Engineering specialisation streams as follows:

Enda Clogher from Ballinasloe won the Agricultural Engineering Award for “The Engineering Design of a Baler Splitter with a Wrap Retention System”. “For my Final Year Project, I engineered, designed, manufactured, and built a hydraulically operated bale splitter with an integrated wrap retention system which eliminates the need for the framer to exit the tractor and to stand under the bail to cut the wrap.”

Mohamed Yabre from Galway won the Energy Engineering Award for “The Design and Manufacture of Piezoelectric Generator for Low Energy Portable Applications​”. He says: “I researched, designed and built a piezoelectric torch for my project to demonstrate the potential of using piezoelectricity as a replacement for lithium batteries in powering small electronics and sustainable lighting solutions.”

Craig Bennett from Ballinagh, Co Cavan, won the Manufacturing Engineering Design Award for “The Design of a Telescopic Loader to attach onto the Front Linkage of a Tractor”. He says: “Current front loader systems for tractors can be quite expensive and by researching telescopic loaders, I engineered a design which could be attached to the front linkage of a tractor system.”

In the Mechanical Engineering Programme Jack McGuire from Athenry, Co Galway, won the Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Specialisation Award for “The Design, Build and Testing of a Prototype Hydraulic Powered Motorbike Trailer.” He says that “Motorbike trailers are used for the transportation and recovery of motorbike by enthusiasts, and for my project, I engineered, and 3D printed a pneumatic model of a hydraulic active suspension motorbike trailer.”

Bence Galambos from Whitestrand Park, Galway city, won the Mechanical Engineering, Energy Specialisation Award for “Using Artificial Intelligence in Stroke Treatment”. Bence says “Strokes are a leading cause of death and disability globally, and his work proposes a transformative AI-based method for stroke diagnosis and treatment using a brain atlas to enhance MRI analysis. The project includes two main models. The first model can automatically reconstitute MRI scans to find stroke lesions, while the second model aligns the output of the first model with a labelled brain atlas and based on the exact location and size of the stroke it recommends the best treatment plan for that patient.”

Joshua O Hehir Wells from Ballybane, Galway city, won the Mechanical Engineering Design Specialisation Award for “The Design and Build of a Sign Language Translation Glove”. Joshua says “I developed a piece of technology which can interpret and convert gestures made by the hand into written speech. The project was developed to help with the teaching and learning of sign language for users with or without hearing impairments.”

Oisin Casey from Clerihan, Co Tipperary, won the Mechanical Engineering Manufacturing Specialisation Award for “The Design and Development of an Automated System to Safely and Efficiently Clean Hypotubes.” Oisin says “Hyoptubes are thin metal tubes used in many modern medial procedures and in collaboration with Freudenberg Medical (Cambus Medical) the objective was to design and develop a prototype bespoke automated system to transport them through a cleaning solution.”

In addition, an additional Special Recognition Award was given to student Cathal Lenehan, Loughrea, Co Galway, final year Biomedical Engineering student, who narrowly missed out in winning an award but produced extremely high calibre project work focusing on the “Design of a Cost Effective Skin Mesher for the Treatment of Burns.” 

Postgraduate Awards 

In the Postgraduate category, Joseph Herron from Dublin won the Postgraduate Award for his work on “A Physiologically-Realistic Blood Flow Model Using OpenFOAM”, while Masoumeh Razaghi Pey Ghaleh, an ATU Galway Biomedical Research student from Karaj, Iran, who is living in Renmore, won the Runners Up Award for her work on “Optimising Skin Graft Meshing Techniques to Improve Afterburn Care.” 

Academic Excellence Awards given to students based upon their retrospective performance in their chosen programme. 
The stage 1 recipients were: Liam Clabby from Longford, Agricultural Engineering; Helene Paty from France and now living in Galway, Biomedical Engineering; Patrick Lyons from Ballinasloe, Common Entry Engineering; Sean Loewen from Canada, living in Killimor, Energy Engineering; Shane Kilkenny from Tulsk, Roscommon, Mechanical Engineering; and Oisin Kenney from Loughrea, Manufacturing Engineering Design. 
The stage 2 recipients were: Adam Pratt from Ballyconnell, Cavan, Agricultural Engineering; Ugne Budreckyte from Galway, Biomedical Engineering; Ryana Maciel Miranda from Brazil now living in Galway, Energy Engineering; Gerard Cunnigham from Ballinasloe, Mechanical Engineering; and Jamie Flynn from Ballinasloe, Manufacturing Engineering Design. 
Stage 3 award recipients are Ben Monaghan from Smithboro, Co. Monaghan, Agricultural Engineering; Xing Ying Chuang from Malaysia, living In Galway, Biomedical Engineering; Seamus O’Maoilchiarain from Carna, Co Galway, Energy Engineering; Jamie Llambias from Spain, living in Galway, Mechanical Engineering; and Iain Fordham from Kinvara, Co Galway for Mechanical Engineering Design. 

Integrated Project Awards were won by Rowan Morrissey from Headford and Aisling Geraghty from Belmullet, Co Mayo for their Stage 1 Manufacturing Engineering Project. 
In stage 2, awards were presented to John Darcy from Sligo, Sean Kincaid from Mullingar, and Daniel Hano from Oranmore for their top-down design Computer Aided Design engine design, modelling, simulation and rapid prototype work; and to Evan Brady from Cootehill, Co Cavan for his 3D Slicer organ reconstitution modelling work. 
In stage 3, awards were presented to Michael Quinn-Walsh from Tuam, Odhran Farrelly from Moycullen, Arunas Pakalnsis from Mullingar, Ben Speares from Poles, Cavan and Jonathan Orpen from Renmore for their integrated Design, Build and Test micro injection moulding machine; and to James Swift from Castlebar, Cillian Smith from The Neale, Co Mayo, Jack Shaw from Clonbalt, Co Longford and Oisin Hart from Sligo for their Year 3 BIM Project, Design and HVAC simulation work. 

Organised annually by the ATU Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, this year’s competition was sponsored and adjudicated by 28 engineering representatives from 31 companies. The sponsoring companies are CBRE, Boston Scientific Galway, C&F Tooling, Caragh Precision, Celestica, Collins Plastics, Cook Medical, Engineers Ireland, Engineers Ireland West, Hollister, Mathworks, Medtronic, Merit Medical, Penn Engineering, RPS Group, Stryker, TE Connectivity, Thermoking, Unitherm Heating Systems, Valeo, Ward and Burke, Xerotech, Zimmer Biomet, Impact Ireland, Portwest, Lister Machine Tools, Radionics, Dromone and Bord na Mona. 

Dr Oliver Mulryan says, event organiser and Head of the Dept of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, says: “The Engineering Expo is a key event which allows everyone in our department to better connect with stakeholders in industry. On the day of the event there was an impressive array of innovative projects across all stages, showcasing the practical skills of our students. We applaud our students for their innovative thinking and commend the mentors, judges, and companies whose contributions ensured the event's success. Your steadfast support for our students and programmes is truly appreciated!”

Judges’ comments

Donal Collins of McHale’s says: “Really enjoyable days as usual, and overall I was very impressed with how the students presented and the standard of the project work presented.” 

Ken Gleeson of Thermoking says: “Good mix and range of project work on display, some of the projects were extremely innovative and interesting. 

William Finnegan of Engineers Ireland West says: “I thought the quality of the project was excellent and the short presentations went really well.”

Neil Quinn of Xerotech’s says: “There was an impressive level of work presented and it was evident that the students have put in a lot of work.”

For information on ATU Mechanical Engineering Department programmes, please click here.

ENDS

Regina Daly, Atlantic TU Communications 
Tel: +353 (0)91 742826 Mob: +353 (0)879618355