Three Kerry sisters win Young Scientist competition with emergency aid app

Three teenage sisters from Kerry have won the Young Scientist competition with an app that integrates key details in emergency medicine.

Sisters Ciara Murphy, 17, Saoirse Murphy, 15, and Laoise Murphy, 12, from Presentation Secondary School, Tralee, were announced on Friday as winners of the 61st BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (YSTE).

Their ACT (Aid Care Treat) project is designed to support emergency healthcare responses through data sharing.

The app looks to streamline challenges in transferring medical data efficiently to the emergency services and share precise geolocation co-ordinates.

Once the data reaches the emergency services, there is the possibility for onward transmission to the dispatch control centres and the hospitals in seconds.

Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise worked with the Department of Health, the HSE and the National Ambulance Service, as well as the Gardai, to develop the app.

The sisters win a prize of 7,500 euro and they will also represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists being held in Riga, Latvia.

The winners of the 61st BTYSTE are Ciara Murphy, Saoirse Murphy & Laoise Murphy, from Presentation Secondary School Tralee 👏👏👏 #BTYSTE #BTYSTE2025 pic.twitter.com/5GV0dweD41

— BT Young Scientist (@BTYSTE) January 10, 2025

For the first time, the Young Scientist winners will be awarded a trip to the World Expo in Osaka, Japan.

Professor Joe Barry, chairman of the health & wellbeing group judges, said the technology has the potential to save lives and reduce recovery times.

“This project with the support of the emergency services has the potential to make a real difference in helping citizens in an emergency situation.”

Tomas Markey, 18, from St Brogan’s College, Bandon in Cork, won the prize for best individual with his project PM-DAC: A system for removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

Leonard Hobbs, chairman of technology individual judges, said: “The judges were very impressed with the level of innovation demonstrated by the best overall individual winner, Tomas Markey, who addressed one of the greatest challenges currently facing the world in the excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

“Tomas demonstrated his prototype at the exhibition which showcased an impressive mechanical and scalable design and novel carbon capture technology, which resulted in a cost-effective approach to this challenging and topical issue.”

Shay Walsh, managing director of BT Ireland, said the Young Scientist finalists had “not only showcased some truly innovative project ideas, but have also done themselves, their teachers and schools, and families proud”.

“In addition to demonstrating boundless energy and ingenuity across topics ranging from artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, mental health, sustainability, agriculture and many more, what has been most uplifting is seeing how Stem subjects can be used for the betterment of society and the world around us.

“Over the last 25 years, since taking up the custodianship of the YSTE, BT Ireland has been honoured to play our part in evolving one of the most prevalent and longstanding Stem exhibitions in the world, and look forward to seeing what exciting endeavours our winners have in store in the months and years ahead.”