Alumni engagement and philanthropy



MEET BRENDAN DIGNEY - A GRADUATE WITH AN EYE TO THE FUTURE

28 January 2020

Brendan Digney, a recent Master’s graduate in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Queen’s, has launched a potentially life-changing farm safety start-up called Machine Eye.

The award-winning business uses advanced electronics and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict and prevent incidents where bystanders and operators of farm, plant and heavy machinery are at risk of injury, intervening automatically to keep them safe.

With farming one of the most important, and also one of the most dangerous industries, farmers are constantly working with powerful machines, often alone for long periods in environments that are hazardous for operators and others alike. Sadly, incidents involving accidental contact with machinery are too common on farms across the country.

Against that background, Machine Eye has the potential to save, and keep safe, many thousands of lives not just locally and nationally but around the world.

Speaking ahead of his graduation in December Brendan said: “I have a farming background and have worked across various industries so the need for a safe workplace is very evident to me.

“Machine Eye came about from a combination of things – the clear need for a more appropriate safety system on farms and sites, my own experiences in these environments and a mixture of work carried out as part of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering course, particularly embedded systems design exercises.

“We studied a module called ‘Engineering Entrepreneurship,’ that encourages engineering students to explore commercial application for their work and provides a crash course in business. Machine Eye came from this module.

“It was supported through its initial establishment by Professor Rogers Woods and Professor Karen Rafferty from the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Queen’s provided valuable support in growing an initial idea to where we are now.

“The University, through Enterprise SU, also provided financial support; mentoring with various professionals, travel support and workshops.”

Machine Eye challenges conventional safety products and practices, using cutting edge technology to ensure the occupational safety of heavy machinery operators. Replacing conventional spotlights with an intelligent worklight incorporating a fully integrated sensor package, Machine Eye uses unique intelligent safety solutions in situational awareness to avoid injury and death. And when an accident is imminent, it automatically takes control, pre-emptively isolating or halting the machine, to remove the risk.

The investment of time, support and resources has certainly paid off for Brendan. The business has already gained local and national acclaim, winning:

  • The Ireland Funds Business Plan Innovation Award (2018),
  • 1st place Dragons’ Den, a Queen’s University Belfast sponsored start-up competition (2018)
  • The Electronics prize at the INVENT Awards (2018)
  • The Audience Choice vote at the final pitches of the INVENT Student Awards (2018)
  • The Farm Safety Partnership Innovation Award (2018)
  • Winning the Enterprise Ireland Safety Innovation Award and the ‘One-To-Watch’ Award in the Innovation Arena at the National Ploughing Championships (2018)
  • Electronics start-up award at INVENT 2019
  • Listed in top six finalists of the Santander UK Enterprise Awards (2019/20)

In June 2019, Brendan travelled to New Zealand with Enterprise Ireland, participating in the Fieldays International Innovation Showcase, where Machine Eye received special commendation.

He was also announced as NUS-USI Irish Student Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 and Queen’s University Student Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 because of his work developing Machine Eye.

And in November, he was one of six UK students announced as finalists in the prestigious IoD Director of the Year awards, held at The Brewery, London.

Brendan, who comes from Newry in County Down, has taken up a full-time role at Machine Eye. He hopes to have the device manufactured in Ireland and plans to have it commercially available later this year.

The innovative start-up will now take part in Propel 2020, a pre-accelerator programme which began this month.

While at University, Brendan was captain of the Queen’s Triathlon Club and volunteered with the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Nowadays, when he’s not working on Machine Eye, Brendan spends his spare time running his own photography business and makes full use of his private pilot’s license, gained during his time at Queen’s. 

For general enquiries about this story or to submit graduate news items, please contact Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO), Queen’s University Belfast, on telephone: +44 (0)28 9097 5321.

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