Postgraduate students on the new MSc in Design and Innovation at GMIT are working on a research project with the Galway Parkinson’s Association and local medical device company Synecco, aimed at assisting patients and their families with medication adherence.

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder, but the symptoms can be effectively controlled with medication for many years. The type, severity and combination of symptoms vary greatly from person to person.

Each person with Parkinson’s disease has an individualised medication regime depending upon age, physical state, and level of disease. Adhering to their medication programme is vital to the patient’s wellbeing.

Quality of life

Also, diet and nutrition must be taken in conjunction with the medication and this can make a significant difference to quality of life. The students have been challenged with a design brief to develop a medication compliance system for people with Parkinson’s Disease.

Marie Cahill, chairperson of Galway Parkinson’s Association, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this research project with the GMIT Master’s programme. One of our aims is to encourage research that will assist people with Parkinson’s, their families and carers, and health professionals. We are committed to educating the public in order to raise awareness, and to promote a greater understanding and acceptance of Parkinson’s.” 

A total of 15 students have been working with Synecco and the Galway Parkinson’s Association on this collaborative project since January 2021. The project is an important part of their applied studies helping develop their innovation, design, management, and leadership skills. The MSc students look forward to hosting an exhibition in December 2021 to showcase their solutions. The expo will be open to the public.

Synecco, a design, engineering, and manufacturing partner to the medical device industry, is part of a multidisciplinary team involved in the delivery of the GMIT postgraduate programme. The Galway-based company created the brief for the Design Innovation Project module, mentoring the students in industry best practices and participating in assessments.

Synecco’s Mark Costello, head of design and Ronan Benson, design manager, are relishing their involvement in the programme. Costello said: “Working with the lecturers and Masters students in GMIT has been a genuine pleasure for the design team here at Synecco.

"We have long been advocates and practitioners of a design thinking-based approach to problem solving within the medical device industry, so when we were approached to participate in the delivery of the programme we didn’t hesitate.”

Benson said: “It’s been great to see how this design thinking led programme produces insights into real needs – seeing the process in action across a range of parallel projects is really rewarding and yet again demonstrates how needs driven insights can be translated into goods and services that improve people’s quality of life. ”

Developed by School of Engineering

The new GMIT MSc in Design and Innovation course, developed by the School of Engineering, is inspired by the Stanford d. School's Design Thinking philosophy and has been developed by a cross-disciplinary team in GMIT using expertise from engineering, design and creative arts, and business led by the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering.

Dr Gabriel J Costello, course co-ordinator, said: “The opportunity for the students to work with industry experts from a leading design company like Synecco provides an excellent learning experience. The collaboration with Galway Parkinson’s Association on a real-life challenge is very motivating for the class. Design and Innovation is a national priority and this example of academic-industry-community partnership supports GMIT’s remit to serve the development of our region.”     

Dr Carine Gachon, head of the GMIT Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, said: “The part-time industry focused programme is designed to upskill students for leadership roles in design and innovation and enhance the participant organisation’s capacity to innovate in products, services, and processes. The current participants are professionals working in medtech, pharma, refrigeration, furniture design, civil engineering and manufacturing sectors.”

Further information is available at MSc in Design and Innovation | GMIT or by contacting Dr Gabriel J Costello: gabrielj.costello@gmit.ie