Prestigious accolade for young Mayo innovator Dana

Dana Carney, a visionary young innovator from Claremorris, has been honoured with the prestigious European Junior Regional Winner award at the Technovation Global Celebrations for her groundbreaking project, 'Secure Hands.'

The Technovation Global Celebrations recognise young innovators from around the world who use technology to solve real-world problems.

With nearly 11,000 girls from 69 countries creating 3,200 tech-based solutions to community problems, this year was especially competitive. Dana’s achievement shines a spotlight on her innovative approach to bridging the communication gap for Ireland’s deaf community during emergencies.

Ireland’s emergency services are renowned for their exceptional ability to handle a myriad of languages, ensuring effective communication across diverse linguistic needs.

However, the deaf community, which relies exclusively on Irish Sign Language (ISL), faces a significant disadvantage. In moments of crisis, the absence of ISL knowledge among most emergency service providers leaves ISL users vulnerable and underserved.

Dana’s project, 'Secure Hands,' addresses this critical issue through the power of technology.

By leveraging advanced machine learning, Secure Hands equips emergency responders with the tools to learn and interpret ISL swiftly and accurately.

This transformative solution not only enhances the capabilities of emergency personnel but also ensures that ISL users receive the same level of urgent care and support as the broader population.

Dana worked on her project coding her app and creating her business plans at Teen-Turn’s after school sessions in Mount Saint Michael Secondary School in Claremorris with teacher and Teen-Turn lead mentor Stephanie Hogan, facilitated by Iseult Mangan, Teen-Turn’s regional manager in the area.

Dana also received support while coding her app from industry and academic volunteers through Teen-Turn’s online support and at this year’s in-person Super Sessions at Genesys in Galway and the Ideas Lab in the University of Galway.

Dana said: “Working on my project with Teen-Turn was an incredible experience. Their sessions guided me from the initial idea stage to coding a functional app.

"I loved visiting Genesys in Galway, where I collaborated with volunteers and coding experts. Additionally, visiting the Ideas Lab at the University of Galway provided invaluable support for the business aspects of my project.

“Secure Hands is more than just a project; it is a mission to ensure that no one in our community is left without help in their most critical moments.

"This recognition motivates me to continue working towards a future where emergency services are inclusive and accessible to all.”

Secure Hands is set to revolutionise the way emergency services and front line workers interact with the deaf community, ensuring that language barriers do not impede life-saving interventions.

As Dana continues to develop and refine her app, her work promises to pave the way for a more inclusive and responsive emergency response system in Ireland and beyond.

Joanne Dolan, Technovation’s Ambassador in Ireland, added: “With the largest number of submissions from Ireland ever, and 9 of those entries reaching the global semi-finals, we already had a banner year, but seeing Dana’s project go on to be awarded the Junior Category prize for all of Europe, well that’s the icing on the cake.”