An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir January / February 2025 www.military.ie/magazine THE UNDERGRADUATE AWARD ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE REWARDED I n 2024 Signalman Stephen Cooper, a member of the Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps, graduated from the South East Technological University (SETU) Carlow with a Distinction award in the Bachelor of Engineering (Military Communications Systems) programme. Significantly, his final year project titled "LIDAR Smart-Chair Navigator" has also achieved global recognition. This innovative project retrofits manual wheelchairs with autonomous capabilities. It uses LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors for obstacle detection and avoidance, gesture and voice controls for intuitive operation and remote monitoring features to allow carers and family members to track and assist the wheelchair user from anywhere in the world. Sgmn Cooper's Smart Chair navigator will afford wheelchair users a more autonomous quality of life. His project captivated both the Global Undergraduate Awards (GUA) and the International Society of Automation (ISA) judges with its exceptional quality and innovative approach. The project was declared the island of Ireland regional winner at the November 2024 summit of the GUA and ranked in the top 10% of engineering projects worldwide. Winners of this award are widely considered amongst the best aspiring specialists in their chosen fields. His successes continued when, in December 2024, his project also earned the 2024 ISA degree award which will be presented to him in Cork in January 2025. For Signalman Cooper, this is a magnificent personal achievement. His project selection was inspired by a desire to improve accessibility and independence for wheelchair users. "I wanted to address the challenges faced by individuals with mobility impairments by providing a solution that not only helps them navigate more freely but also gives their family members or carers the ability to remotely monitor and control the wheelchair if needs be. This added functionality enhances safety and peace of mind for both users and their support networks". When asked how the degree programme he studied assisted him in his project he said that "Computer Programming played a major role in developing the functionality of the LIDAR Smart-Chair Navigator, along with the practical skills such as using breadboards for prototyping and PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design. These modules also provided me with a strong understanding of how multiple sensors can work together, allowing for precise interaction and data sharing between different components within the one system." He also said that "it is an incredible honour to win both the Highly Commended Award and the Regional Winner Award from the GUA. The project highlighted the importance of advancing assistive 12 | ARTICLE BY GNR JACK MURPHY, 1 BAR, RDF PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SGMN STEPHEN COOPER L-R- Comdt James O'Neill, Dr Donnacha Lowney, Ciara Groome (Stephen's Girlfriend), Stephen Cooper, Martina Cooper (Stephen's mother), Keith Smyth and Lt Col John Kenny The Graduation ceremony at SETU Carlow

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