IE Students Apply Technology Solutions to Tackle Global Issues at Technology Impact Course: Here are 10 Interesting Projects

IE students have leveraged technological solutions to tackle global issues during their culminating project of the IE Technology Impact course. The projects address diverse fields, from public opinion to sustainability and health, following the precept of conscious innovation.

Students used tools to design sentiment analysis features, recommendation engines and mobile prototypes, devising solutions to empower citizens and facilitate environmental and medical processes.

IE Impact is a multidisciplinary, academic program taken by all IE students that leverages humanistic, technological and entrepreneurial approaches to address world challenges. Technology is the second module, where students learn design thinking and discover tools they can use for conscious innovation.

The scope and diversity of the projects speak to the tech know-how of the students and their ambitions to make a positive impact on the world around them.

Here are 10 projects aiming to make a change:

Freedom of Information and Public Opinion Solutions:

1. Full Disclosure:

Creators: Alba Carralón (LLB), Oskar Postmyr (BIE), David Bickford (BIE), Ingrid Schiefloe (BIE), Genesis Alejandra Gil (LLB)

Starting at the most humanistic realm, Full Disclosure is a ‘legal translator’ submitted by students of law, economics and international relations.

Motivated by a desire to democratize legal knowledge in Spain and empower ordinary citizens to make positive change, the team designed a search engine that summarizes relevant laws without using legal jargon in order to answer queries posed by the public.

First, a question such as “Can I record the police?” is posed. Then, natural language processing identifies the keywords in the search, and cross-references them with a database of legal summaries and Spanish legal code. The output is a one-line answer and brief explanation of the dos and don’ts in that particular matter.

2. OPINO:

Creators: Ariadna Fernández (BID), Estrella García (BID), Maria Fernanda Geron (BCDM), Isabel Gómez (LLBBIR), Isabella María Moreno (BCDM), Viola Berti (LLBBIR), Thomas Jackman (BID)

Next, OPINO is a digital platform aiming to foster critical thinking and expose the public to opposing viewpoints. 

The students leveraged various tools to develop the platform’s features, including Python for a recommendation engine, Scikit Learn for the sentiment analysis and Figma for the website and app development.

These features make it possible for students, researchers and digital users to critically interpret contrasting information from various sources and reach a wider understanding of an issue. 

Environmental Sustainability Solutions:

1. WaterWise:

Creators: Nicole Camps Infante (BCDM), Miranda Sanchez Alós (BBABBIR), Zoe Ginocchio (BID), Karen Graniewicz Mata (BBALLB), Monya Attari (BIRLLB)

Shifting to a purely environmental focus, WaterWise is a system that leverages IoT technology to alleviate the challenges of water shortages in rural areas.

First, fog catchers connected to sensor technology monitor the amount of water collected, as well as the environmental and soil conditions. Then, predictive modeling optimizes new irrigation schedules from the data obtained based on crop requirements.

These technologies empower farmers to not only obtain better crop yields but to also reduce the water waste in remote rural areas.

2. SustainTrack:

Creators: Sofia Visca (BBA), Rawad Sakr (BBA), Frederico Araújo (BIE), Camillo Orsini (BIE), Lindsey Sottak (BDCM), Gianna Gomez (BID)

SustainTrack is an app that equips ordinary citizens with data about their carbon footprint and solutions to minimize their impact.

Developed with an educational and motivational purpose, the app leverages cloud computing to collect and analyze user data, and peer-to-peer networks to share tips and complement the ideas offered by the system.

Its features provide users seeking to pursue a greener lifestyle with ideas that seamlessly integrate into their routines, as well as data-backed solutions that identify what changes will make the biggest difference.

3. Electronic Waste Management Service

Creators: Emma Collard (LLB), Tiphaine Rouquette (BBA), Basile Joron (BBA), Lilly Binder (BBA), Juan Mateo Torrez Aitken (BBA), Emma Cuvillier (BIR)

E-Waste Management Service is an app that addresses yet another environmental challenge: electronic garbage, particularly relevant in our modern-day, tech-driven lifestyle.

The team wove a network of solutions into the app’s features – from connecting users to nearby recycling centers to scheduling pickups and rewarding eco-friendly actions – thus acting as a motivational force and empowering citizens to take care of their own electronic garbage.

4. Kitchen Concierge

Creators: Diego de la Cruz (BBA), Frederico Bezerra (BBABIR), Isabella Grieco (LLB), Emanuel Mayagoitia (BIR), Ana Zhou (BBALLB), Vivianna Olbort (BBALLB)

Last in the environmental section, Kitchen Concierge is an app that aims to mitigate food waste. 

The team used automated technologies and a barcode scanning feature to design a tracking system for purchased ingredients, providing notifications for expiration dates, recipe recommendations for available ingredients and a multi-household management system.

The app serves as an educational experience for students learning how to meal plan, and a useful tool for families to keep track of a large food inventory. 

Health:

1. Nutri Scanner:

Creators: Vittoria Sironi (BCDM), Melissa Koch (BCDM), Maximilian Marweld (BBABIR), Blanca Imbert (BBA), Leopoldo Sirolli (BBADBA), and Laura Attieh (BBABIR)

Another food-related challenge, this time from a health perspective, is understanding the complex language used on food labels. Nutri Scanner is an app that encourages healthier food choices by deciphering labels on goods.

It also uses a barcode scanning feature as well as analytics and interpretation systems and a user-friendly UX/UI. Everyone can benefit from its capabilities for their own specific health goals, from avoiding allergies to following specific diets.

2. Streamline Medical

Creators: Mischa Spasic (BBABIR), Antonio Janer (BBABIR), Andrej Novitovic (BBA), Ekaterina Khromova (BIR)

With a specific focus on healthcare, Streamline Medical is an AI-based service for hospitals that tackles the current issues of staff shortage and a growing patient pool due to an aging population.

The service employs predictive modeling to gauge demand schedules and identify the areas that will face more demand, as well as basic automation to complete administrative tasks, optimize the hospital’s resources, and provide an enhanced service.

3. ReVitalize

Creators: Juan Pablo Garcia-Casals (BBA), Rodrigo de la Rosa (BBA), Dan Kraselnik (BIR), Giulia Livio (BBALLB), Filippo Schipilliti (BBA), Isabel Maria Valero Flores (BID)

ReVitalize is a platform that aims to transform the current lengthy process of obtaining a prosthetic by combining AI with medical expertise.

Leveraging AI’s capacity to analyze vast amounts of data facilitates the process of finding the right prosthetic solution, allowing doctors to acquire a supervisory role and hence speeding up the process.

The team also focused on customizable features, allowing clients to input their preferences to provide an augmented service overall.

Community:

1. FixIt

Creators: Mariana Gámez Pineda (BBABIR), Nicolas Stern (BBA), Pamela Arango (BCDM), Olivia Hernández-Coronado (BBADBA), Joaquín Pilorget (BBA), Laura Vaquero (BBABBDA), Pablo Gómez de los Cobos (BBADBA)

Finally, FixIt fosters collaboration within communities by connecting those seeking help on a particular task with others skilled in that area.

Targeting all demographics – from college students to the elderly – provides versatility, time and cost savings, and an opportunity to earn while lending a hand.

The team explored various tools to design the app, from Softr to develop the user interface, to Airtable as the data server, and Crisp to integrate a chatbot, leveraging their knowledge of technology and low code platforms to design their prototype.