TU Dublin Student Ella Flanagan Wins Ireland’s 2026 James Dyson Award
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TU Dublin Product Design student Ella Flanagan has been named Ireland’s 2026 James Dyson Award winner for Noli, an innovative emergency wristband designed to help mental health nurses discreetly call for assistance in potentially dangerous situations.
Ella, who studies Product Design at TU Dublin, developed Noli in response to the safety challenges faced by mental health nurses. Several members of her family work in mental health nursing, giving her a personal insight into the difficulties they can face when trying to access emergency assistance.
The discreet wristband allows a nurse to trigger an emergency alert by pulling and holding the strap for three seconds. Designed to look like an ordinary adjustment of the wristband, the gesture enables nurses to call for help without making an obvious movement that could potentially escalate a situation.
Noli uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology to identify nearby staff. When an alert is activated, the system identifies the three closest staff members, allowing assistance to be directed to the nurse who needs it rather than automatically alerting everyone in the building.
Flanagan developed the prototype through CAD modelling, silicone moulding and electronics development, while consulting with nurses, alarm engineers and other stakeholders. The project has also received recognition through the HSE Spark Innovation programme and the HSE Design on the Frontline competition.
The James Dyson Award provides another significant milestone for the project. Flanagan has worked with the TU Dublin start-up community and is now exploring the next stage of Noli’s development, including engagement with healthcare innovators and Enterprise Ireland.
At its heart, Noli is designed around a simple principle: helping healthcare staff get assistance when they need it, while allowing them to remain focused on the person in front of them.
Are you interested in studying Product Design at TU Dublin? Find out more about the programme here.