The device, which resembles a pair of glasses, aids the user in maintaining a sharp main field of vision. People with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) are its main target audience.
From Cork, Mr. Olympio graduated from the University of Limerick with a degree in product design. His own diagnosis of ADHD served as inspiration for the creation of “Oasis.”
“I only became aware of my ADHD when I was about 16 years old,” according to Olympio.
“Many of the difficulties I had experienced throughout my entire life, such as learning disabilities and being easily distracted, suddenly began to make sense after receiving my diagnosis.”
“Oasis is a narrative of how I created a tool to help people focus on busy environments and how this journey deepened my understanding of myself, said Olympio.
The project's name, Oasis, expresses its goal to offer a haven of concentration amidst distracting surroundings.
The tool dims the user's mid-to-far peripheral vision while maintaining a sharp and focused main field of vision using state-of-the-art electrochromic film technology.
“Oasis has a deceptively simple design,” according to Barry Sheehan, Head of Design at TU Dublin School of Art and Design and a longtime member of the judging panel.
“It seems almost too simple at first,” said Sheehan.
“You only realise that it is solving a complex, poorly understood problem in a clever way when you delve into what it does and why it does it,” he continued.
The James Dyson Award's Irish winner, Mr. Olympio, will receive €5,700 to further his invention.
National champions advance to the global shortlist, where billionaire inventor James Dyson chooses his world champions, who each receive €34,000 as prize money.
Young inventors compete in an engineering competition for the annual award.
It challenges undergraduates and recent graduates to address a global issue, ranging from environmental concerns to bettering healthcare practises.