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TechLife | 02 Aug 2012 :  Local app developers are being invited to submit ideas for new applications to assist the elderly and people with disabilities as part of The Smart Accessibility Awards 2012. The competition has a prize fund worth €200,000 for European developers who come up with apps that take into consideration the needs of older people and those with disabilities.

The National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) has linked with main sponsor Vodafone to spur on Irish participation and is holding a two day workshop this month for those interested in entering the competition.

Entrants have the option of four categories - social participation, independent living, mobility and well being with winners set to be chosen from each category.

Mark Kearns, NDRC inventorium director, said: "Put simply, this is a golden opportunity for Irish app developers to bang heads together and come up with some ideas that could help to enhance the lives of our older population and people with disabilities. The Vodafone Foundation Smart Accessibility Awards attracted over 60 brilliant apps last year. It is a prestigious competition and we want to see Ireland represented with some compelling new ideas."

The two day workshop from NDRC will focus on a number of areas including user perspective and personal experience, technical demonstration of tools and applications, concept development workshops, pitching session to a panel of expert judges and commercial development workshops.

Fiona Donnellan