Pharmacy Mobile App Walkthrough
Mobile App Innovation
in VTOS Newbridge
Examples of the apps developed include an anti-bullying app aimed at primary and post-primary school children, an app which provides support to people suffering from depression, an app which directs the user to the nearest defibrillator in any given area, an app specifically built for the Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland, an app which reads bed-time stories to a child, and an app which scans and reads QR code data.
One of the more innovative apps was designed to find the nearest open pharmacy in any location. The app is called “Pharmacy” and has one sole purpose, to direct the user to the nearest pharmacy that is currently open in an area at any given time.
This module is offered as part of the QQI Computer Systems and Networks Major Level 5 Award in Newbridge VTOS. The module requires each student to develop a fully functional mobile phone application.
From the commencement of the course each student worked hard to develop an initial app idea. These app ideas were then “pitched” to the class and a variety of other interested groups and parties. App ideas were refined, modified, iterated, and some were srapped as a result of this pitching process. Students then commenced building their apps, and by the end of February 2016 all students had a working and fully functional version of their app installed and running on their own mobile phone.
Each student was strongly encouraged to be highly innovative and to design and build an app that solved a real problem. Students did this by relying on their own life experience and the expertise gained from previous careers. This gave each student the potential to come up with an innovative and unique app that could fully exploit the power of the mobile device. many of us carry on a daily basis.
The Model Aeronautics Council of Ireland has said they would like to further develop the app which was specifically built for them. Who knows … over the coming years some of us may even have an app developed by a VTOS Newbridge student on our own phones!