Congratulations to Team KeepSeek (Industrial Design Master’s students Sidney Brinson, Grace Cha, Jessica Lee and Computer Science Master’s student Sneha Bharath) for their first place finish in the “connected communities” category at the 2014 Convergence Innovation Competition.  Another group, Team Sleep Smart (ID Master’s students Lance Black, Joakim Berglund and CS Master’s students Tulika Saraf and Akshay Gupta), won second place in the “connected home” category.

The graduate students teams were all enrolled in an industrial design course taught by Assistant Professor Claudia B. Rebola and a joint industrial design and computer science class taught by Associate Professor Jon Sanford and Senior Research Engineer Brian Jones. The students conducted intensive research with a local retirement community to formulate their focus areas. 

KeepSeek is an interactive shelving unit primarily designed for older adults who have transitioned to a new environment. It is a tangible system that enables older adults to keep connections, routines, and activities with friends from their previous community and seek new connections and activities in their new living environment. View more about the project at http://bit.ly/1khkjQy

Sleep Smart is a sleep supportive system that improves the sleep hygiene of older adults.  This technology focuses on the importance of maintaining a sleep schedule by employing environmental conditioners (e-cons), which alter the user’s environment, creating a more sleep-conducive experience.  The e-cons use light, sound, and vibration to aid in falling asleep and to assist in awakening the user.  Sleep Smart is one of the first technologies of its kind that focuses on poor sleep in older adults and aims to improve not only their sleep, but their overall health. See more at http://bit.ly/1n2eV7K.

The Convergence Innovation Competition (CIC) is an annual event open to all Georgia Tech students. The overarching goal of the CIC is to create innovative and viable products and experiences including a strong user experience and a business case. Winning entries include a working end-to-end prototype and often go on to commercialization, other competitions, as well as internship and job opportunities strengthened by their competition experience.