Needle Project Wins

Reducing the risk of accidental needle pokes inspired the development of the NeedleSIGHT project, winner of the people’s choice award in the second annual UVic MBA business information technology (BizIT) trade show.
        Small radio frequency identification chips can be embedded in syringes, and combined with an RFID reader, used to locate and retrieve used needles in a safe manner. Team members Mustafa Ahmed, Robert Kania, Graham Moxon, Yamile Saleh and Julian Subda found that City of Victoria parks and recreation workers are collecting about 200 needles per week.
        The BizIT tech show, held Feb. 25, 2009, showcased six projects designed to support public sector organizations. In addition to NeedleSIGHT, other potential ventures were an interactive city guide, a digital tourism guide to Vancouver Island, a real time bus schedule delivered to mobile devices, an emergency alert system for remote locations, and an elder Wii fitness program to improve the quality of life for seniors.

Photos are available upon request.
 

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