Turn On Your Future @ UWTSD's School of Applied Computing & Electronics

Posts tagged ‘education’

Guest Lecture: Emerging Trends & Digitisation of Society

Many thanks to David Jones (Consultant) and Geraint Williams (Director of Mission Control) from Fujitsu for recently visiting the University and speaking with our students.

Geraint Williams (right) & David Jones (left)

The talk titled ‘Digital Trends‘ covered the incredible rapid innovation and evolution of Technology that has brought about an incredible transformation and digitization of society. Highlighting significant historical and current innovations, positive impacts, and emerging trends & technologies, challenges and future impacts. A whistle stop tour of the digital landscape: past, present and future. A fascinating talk enjoyed by all, staff and students alike.

“Our Digital Trends talk, delved into the multifaceted impact of digitalisation on society, business, and daily life. It highlights key themes such as the integration of technology into everyday activities, the challenges of digital transformation, lifestyle shifts driven by digital innovation, and future trends including Robotics, AI, and Quantum Computing. Additionally, it introduces the concept of Human Centric Design and describes a workshop where participants tackle the ethical integration of Generative AI in organisations, focusing on creating value while mitigating risks such as misinformation and bias”. – David Jones (Guest Speaker from Fujitsu)

David went on to explain that the Digital Trends talk explored the ongoing digital transformation shaping society, business, and daily life. And that it’s purpose is to inform and inspire audiences about the profound impact of digitalisation, the benefits and challenges it brings, and the emerging trends that will define the future.

Key Themes Covered:

  • Digitalisation of Society: Examines how technology is blending virtual and physical environments, transforming commerce, education, finance, health, and communication. Highlighting the benefits of efficiency, global connectivity, economic growth, and access to information, while also addressing the importance of security and trust in digital systems.
  • Challenges of Digital Transformation: Discusses digital inequality, job displacement, ethical considerations (such as AI bias and privacy), cybersecurity threats, and the need for robust digital infrastructure. The content emphasizes the importance of inclusivity, ethical technology use, and collaboration among stakeholders to address these challenges.
  • Digital Living – Lifestyle Shifts: Explores how digital technologies have revolutionized the way we interact, work, consume, and manage our lives, from remote work and smart homes to online communities, e-learning, and digital entertainment.
  • Future Trends: Looks ahead to transformative innovations such as Robotics and AI, Quantum Computing, Cashless Societies, Extended Reality, Bionics & Cybernetics, and Regenerative approaches to society and energy and risks associated with these advancements, including ethical, economic, and societal implications.
  • Human Centric Design: Introduces a unique design thinking methodology focused on aligning business challenges with human needs, fostering creativity, and developing rapid, actionable solutions.

The Human Centric Design workshop provided students with a Challenge Statement: How can organisations harness Generative AI to create value for customers while preventing misinformation, bias, and intellectual property risks. It gave the students an opportunity to consider the introduction of AI into a company’s ecosystem and how they can work together to ideate and reach a consensus on what the key features and challenges are for ethical AI solutions.

“It was a pleasure to return to the place where it all began for me and give something back. I genuinely enjoyed the preparations, creation and delivery of both the talk and workshop and it was good to see the next generation of industry experts beginning their journey, there is much ahead of them, change is accelerating at a pace like we have never seen…” – David Jones

“Great to be back at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) today speaking with first year Computing students. As a former student of the university, it’s special to return to the place that set me up for success and share the lessons I’ve learned along the way e.g. stay curious, build your network, and keep evolving/adapting – the technology industry never stands still!” – Geraint Williams

The Academic staff at UWTSD’s School of Applied Computing would like to thank David & Geraint for taking the time to come back to the University and share their invaluable experience, industry knowledge and insights. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

~

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UWTSD Host Workshop on Robots & Digital Healthcare

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) hosted a pioneering workshop, titled ‘Soft Exoskeleton Robots and Digital Healthcare,’ bringing together experts from across disciplines to explore the future of rehabilitation technologies.

Held at the University’s IQ Building at its SA1 Swansea Waterfront campus, the event marked a significant moment in cross-sector collaboration aimed at co-designing innovative, patient-focused solutions. 

Led by Dr Seena Joseph and Dr Tim Bashford from UWTSD, the workshop was part of the Soft Exoskeleton Robotics Project, a collaborative effort funded by the Wales Innovation Network (WIN). The project brings together partners from Cardiff Met ( Dr Wai Keung Fu), University of South Wales (Dr Leshan Uggalla) and Institute of Robotics, Bulgaria (Dr Tony Punnoose), all working together to advance rehabilitation technologies.

The full-day workshop convened leaders from robotics and engineering, healthcare and clinical practice, academia, and industry, sparking multidisciplinary dialogue on the development and real-world application of soft exoskeleton robots for rehabilitation. Attendees included academics, researchers, clinicians, innovators, and policy influencers, all united by a common goal: to shape more effective, accessible, and human-centred healthcare technologies.

Dr Kapilan Radhakrishan, UWTSD’s Academic Director (Applied Computing), delivered the welcome address and provided an overview of the project. He described the workshop as a valuable platform to introduce the project and set the stage of exploring new research ideas and to ignite meaningful collaborations with experts across disciplines in soft robotic and digital health. 

Dr Mark Cocks, Dean of the University’s Wales Institute of Science and Art who opened the event said: “Collaboration is the buzzword, and it is more important than ever. In today’s complex and fast-changing landscape, working together across disciplines and sectors is essential to drive innovation and achieve meaningful outcomes. This workshop perfectly exemplifies how bringing experts from academic, industry and healthcare together can spark new ideas. We are proud to host such an impactful and forward-thinking event.”

Highlights included:

The workshop featured a series of compelling talks and a live demonstration of the prototype of soft exoskeleton robot for stroke rehabilitation developed by Dr Tony Punnoose (Institute of Robotics, Bulgaria), one of the team members. 

Dr Fatma Layas and Dr Yajie Zhang (ATiC) presenting human-centred product evaluation approaches in healthcare.

“A Digital Healthcare Overview” was presented by Dr. Tim Bashford, one of the workshop organisers. His presentation provided a broad perspective on the evolving role of digital technologies in healthcare, setting the scene for the day’s discussions and highlighting opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

Dr Wai Keung Fung (Cardiff Metropolitan University) one of the co-organisers outlining core design principles of Soft Exoskeletons 

Dr Gokul Kandaswamy (NHS Wales) delivered an exciting talk on how robotic technologies are transforming patient care, sparking meaningful discussions, and inspiring ideas for future collaborations

Dr Udayanga Galappaththi  an  industry partner from Far UK Ltd exploring the integration of sustainable materials in robotic hand exoskeletons.

Dr Seena Joseph delivered an presentation on “Recent Trends in Soft Robotic Exoskeletons: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review,” offering a comprehensive overview of global research developments, emerging technologies, and future directions in the field.

Additional highlights included the presentation from several experts: Prof Eggbeer, Dominic from Cardiff Met discussed the impact of lead users and 3D printing on advancing adaptive sports technology, while Dr Rajan Prasad, from Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi shared innovative simulation-based designs for cable-driven exoskeletons aiding post stroke gait recovery. 

A live prototype demonstration by Dr Tony Punnoose (Institute of Robotics, Bulgaria), showcasing a bilateral soft exoskeleton robot for stroke rehabilitation. He underscored the importance of shifting research efforts toward developing small-scale, user-friendly parallel robotic systems that patients can take home, enabling more consistent, accessible, and effective rehabilitation beyond the clinical setting. 

The event culminated in an energetic panel discussion, moderated by Dr Fung, with panellists diving into practical applications, ethical considerations, and future research directions for soft robotic solutions in health contexts. Looking back on the event, he said: 

“Moderating the panel discussion reminded me that the future of rehabilitation isn’t just about smarter machines, it’s about deeper collaboration between engineers, clinicians, and users to co-create technologies that truly empower.”

The event also included a productive networking session, facilitated by Dr Leshan Uggalla (University of South Wales) from the project team. This session gave attendees a valuable opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and foster potential collaborations in a relaxed and engaging environment.

The workshop not only reinforced UWTSD’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research and real-world innovation but also underscored its ambition to serve as a hub for cutting-edge dialogue that shapes the future of care and rehabilitation.

Adapted from original post & source here: https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/news/uwtsd-hosts-workshop-soft-exoskeleton-robots-and-digital-healthcare

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Project profile: Kelly Casey

Name: Kelly Casey

Course: BSc (Hons) Software Engineering

Project Title: Women in STEM Study Buddy – A Mobile Application for Academic Networking

Logo
Fig.: FemSTEMConnect

Project introduction:
The motivation behind this project was to address the under-representation and isolation that many women in STEM fields experience during their academic journey. I wanted to create a platform that would allow female students to connect, support one another, and collaborate through shared academic interests. The project reflects both my technical interests and my desire to contribute to inclusion and equity in higher education.

Overview of the Practical implementation:
The application was developed in Android Development Studio using the Kotlin programming language, with Firebase Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform providing services for authentication, data storage, and real-time messaging.

Kotlin, Android Studio and Firebase image
Fig.: Kotlin | Android Studio | Firebase

Key features include:

  • Email link login (no passwords required)
  • Personalised academic profiles
  • Study partner matching using course and location filters
  • A Messaging system for real-time communication.
Fig: Coding

The project was tested on both emulator and physical Android devices for performance and usability.

Here are some screenshots from the final app up and working

Fig.: Navigation screen
Messaging inbox
Fig.: Messaging inbox
Fig.: Home screen & News feed

Conclusion: The final product successfully met the core functional goals. Users can register, create a profile, search for study partners, and communicate within the app. Although some features like the community forum were postponed, the application is stable, secure, and ready for future expansion. It represents a strong foundation for a peer-support platform specifically tailored to women in STEM.

What Career and job role are you hoping to move Into after Graduation? I’m planning to progress onto a Master’s degree and then move into a software engineering role, ideally within a company focused on education technology or socially impactful work.

Top Tips for Students interested in completing a University Degree: Don’t procrastinate. Choose a project that is manageable not just exciting. It’s better to complete something simple and solid than to get stuck in something too complex to finish on your own. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

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For further information on Computing courses at UWTSD, please click-here.

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Skills Synergy 2025

The School of Applied Computing at University of Wales Trinity Saint David are thrilled to announce the annual ‘Skills Synergy 2025‘ event hosted at Swansea Arena.

A dynamic day of learning, and competition for students and networking for Teachers. The student events are designed to inspire, challenge, and showcase skills in Web Technologies, Cybersecurity, and Network Systems Administration, tailored for Year 12, Year 13, and Further Education students.

Student Team Competitions:

A taster competition event to give an experience to the participants about the competitions and competition environment.

Students who are interested in one or more than one of the below domains are welcome to register. Students will get a taste of the competition with a briefing about competitions followed by a small competitive activity.

Schools/FE’s can register their students who are interested to get a taste on competitions like Web Technologies, Cybersecurity, and Network Systems Administration.

Limited Registrations. First come First Serve. Register immediately.

Taster Sessions for School Students:

Explore Computing (Cybersecurity, Digital Forensics, Software, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science), Electronics, and Games Design, Development, Animation, VFX in engaging hands-on sessions.

Cisco Instructors Conference:

A parallel session for Head Teachers, Teachers, Lecturers and Cisco Networking Academy Instructors to share best practices, network, and collaborate.

Event Details:
Date: 26th March 2025
Time: 09:30 AM – 02.00 PM.
Venue: Swansea Arena

For further information and inquiries, please contact Nitheesh Kaliyamurthy via email: n.kaliyamurthy@uwtsd.ac.uk

For further information about Computing & Computer Science courses at UWTSD Swansea, please click here.

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UWTSD Computing students take their learning journey to Paris

Computing students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) have enjoyed the sights and sounds of Paris as part of an international learning journey. The students studied at the Institut Supérieur d’Electronique de Paris (ISEP).

Taith provides funding to enable education staff and learners to spend time abroad as part of their studies. It also brings learners and educators from around the world to Wales.

The programme, with Welsh Government funding of £65 million, launched in 2022 and offers life-changing opportunities to travel and learn for learners and staff in every part of Wales, and in every type of education.

The UWTSD partnership also coincided with the Welsh Government’s ‘Wales in France’ initiative, a year-long celebration of cultural, business and sporting events designed to strengthen existing links and forge new connections between the two countries. 

The UWTSD students attended classes with French students and studied subjects similar to those that they study in Wales. Most of the classes at ISEP are delivered in English, so the students were easily able to join their French counterparts for studies. 

Kath Griffiths, International Regional manager (North America and Outward Mobility), Wales Global Academy said : “We are delighted that students from a Welsh institution funded via Taith have spent two weeks in Paris. UWTSD is currently hosting 24 students from ISEP in Swansea. 

“A key feature of the Taith programme is reciprocity; the ability to nurture and develop overseas partners who are already committing to reciprocal arrangements regarding student exchange. This approach through Taith enables high-quality placements and builds towards our aspiration to provide all domestic students with the opportunity to study internationally, ISEP which will strengthen our international profile and create opportunities for staff and students to pursue their interests with reciprocal opportunities for international learners here in Wales. 

“This provides an excellent opportunity for students to experience living and studying in another country and to gain invaluable insight into international employment opportunities.”

Dr Kapilan Radhakrishnan, Academic Director, Applied Computing said: “Amidst the iconic landmarks and cultural marvels, our students delved deep into a world of academic exploration. From classroom experiences to dynamic engagements in extracurricular and social activities, each moment was a stepping stone towards personal and educational growth. 

“This exchange not only broadened their academic horizons but also fostered a vibrant tapestry of cultural understanding and friendship. Interacting with students, academics, and professionals from diverse backgrounds exposes students to a variety of viewpoints and approaches, broadening their perspectives and critical thinking skills. Collaborating with classmates in unfamiliar settings fosters teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills, strengthening bonds and creating lasting friendships.

“The study trip provided a rich and multifaceted learning experience that goes beyond traditional classroom settings, offering students a unique opportunity for personal, academic, and professional development. Our students have returned home enriched with a wealth of diverse perspectives and unforgettable memories.”

Source: https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/news/uwtsd-students-take-their-learning-journey-paris-part-welsh-governments-taith-programme-0
For further information: Contact Executive Press and Media Relations Officer, Rebecca Davies rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk.

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