Technology
Technology is changing every aspect of how we live and work, and Ireland is at the centre of that shift. But with rapid change comes real challenges, from the energy demands of our digital infrastructure to the biases embedded in the systems we build. Our university researchers are working to make sure Ireland’s technology future is sustainable, fair and built on solid evidence.
How we’re supporting Government:
UCD are humanising the algorithm: where data meets compassion to fight pneumonia and sepsis.
The Challenge: Pneumonia and Sepsis are deadly diseases and the leading cause of deaths worldwide. Currently the tools used to detect these diseases are slow. This leads clinicians to treat patients using a broad spectrum of antibiotics as treatment which can increase antimicrobial resistance
The Solution: To detect pneumonia and sepsis in a faster way by using data from ICU patients and artificial intelligence.
University Delivery: Professor Patricia B Maguire and Research Scientist, Vanessa Carvalho, UCD School of Biomolecular Biomedical Science are harnessing the power of data and artificial intelligence to deliver critical decision support for doctors, enabling faster and earlier recognition of life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia and sepsis in intensive care settings. When every minute counts, timely decisions can save lives. While the research is still ongoing, it already holds significant promise for transforming how critical care is delivered, helping healthcare teams respond more quickly and precisely. This project is not just about technology, but about giving patients a fighting chance at survival and ensuring that no life is reduced to a series of numbers on a screen. The team believes that behind every line of code is a human story of fear, suffering, resilience and hope.
TCD are uncovering how gender bias shapes the way we interact with AI.
The Challenge: Some AI systems are assigned a gender, like a female voice assistant or a male chatbot. A study of 402 participants found that people exploited female AI more and distrusted male AI more. Left unaddressed, these biases shape how AI is built and governed.
The Solution: Understanding where these biases come from and using that knowledge to build AI systems that are fairer and work better for everyone.
University Delivery: Sepideh Bazazi and Professor Taha Yasseri, Trinity School of Social Sciences and Philosophy, conducted the first study of its kind into how gender bias shapes the way people interact with AI. Published in iScience, their work shows that giving an AI a gender changes how people treat it, and their findings are already informing how AI systems should be designed and governed.
DCU are developing next generation cooling technology for data centres.
The Challenge: Data centres need massive amounts of energy just to stay cool. As Ireland’s reliance on data grows, finding more sustainable cooling solutions is becoming urgent.
The Solution: Developing new cooling technology using nanofluid additives that reduce the energy data centres need to operate.
University Delivery: Dr Lorna Fitzsimons, DCU School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, and Dr Darren Fayne, DCU School of Chemical Sciences, are leading the DLCool project in collaboration with HT Materials Science and Exergyn, both based at the DCU Innovate Hub. The project has secured €2.3m from the Government’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund to develop advanced cooling solutions for data centres.