Italian innovator Pasquale Donadio received CHEST funding for the “YouSense” project, which aims to allow all European citizens to self-monitor air pollution in their daily life and direct environment, and share this data through affordable devices with a linked portal and smart phone app. Device prototypes were designed and built with feedback from user groups, then tested by students and bike users in Naples and Milan (with further tests in China, France and Ireland). The YouSense device measures particulate matter (PM10), humidity and temperature, but has the potential to measure much more, whilst the app was created for Apple and Android devices. YouSense was the subject of a paper for the ECSA Conference and presented at NetFutures, Mobile World Congress and CEBIT.
Orqaniq, a Dutch digital agency, have used CHEST Call 3 funding to successfully develop a prototype of their “3D-Immersion Platform with low-literacy course”, which has undergone preliminary testing with target groups. There is the potential to offer courses in many areas, including health and lifestyle. These courses are distinctive because they combine 3D immersion and gamification for a totally new approach to learning, providing a safe learning environment where the user interacts with a 3D world to solve simulated real-life problems. Compared to current approaches, such courses could potentially save €1500 per learner for each course.
The Design Research Lab at the Berlin University of Arts were selected for CHEST Call 3 funding to develop a prototype of the “Hybrid Letterbox”, which is a device that mimics the traditional communications medium of a letterbox with a digitization-module inside it that photographs the postcards that are thrown inside so the message can be displayed digitally. Hybrid Letterbox has bridged the gap between digital and analogue, for example connecting citizen and city officials in a pilot that engaged more users than other methods and people who did not use current methods (e.g. online polls). It was presented at the Design Research Society Conference and at NetFutures in 2016.
Sparta Technologies, a UK SME specialising in digital and ICT solutions, received CHEST Call 3 funding to develop an innovative mobile payment solution known initially as “Payeze”, which was rebranded to “Buzzin”. After a research phase, Sparta successfully developed the app and the related virtual currency (Buzzin-coins) as a community based system that allows volunteers to incentives in the form of reward vouchers, public transport users to be rewarded each time they travel in and out of a city, and local businesses to attract a higher footfall by accepting the new community currency. Sparta formed key partnerships that led to Buzzin being trialling for transport and entertainment.