Emily Barker wins first place at AI Innovation ‘IGNITION’ Startup Hackathon

CPC member Dr Emily Barker was part of a team that won first place at a recent three-week national hackathon on responsible AI for social good.

Emily, with Ali Shakiba, William Hughes and Sanzhar Korganbayev from the University of Southampton’s Optoelectronics Research Centre, worked on 'Epiblink', a novel solution targeting photosensitive epilepsy. The idea is around glasses that help to reduce/stop photosensitive epileptic seizures (and indirectly migraines).

Dr Barker commented: “I am delighted to have worked on the winning idea during the hackathon. I have epilepsy so it is a subject close to me and it is great to be able to use my knowledge and skills to work towards real-world solutions. It’s important to demonstrate that AI can be used for social good to balance out the focus on the often-discussed downsides of AI.”

AI Innovation IGNITION is a social impact-focused initiative designed to inspire and launch ideas. The hackathon brought together researchers interested in societal and economic challenges using AI. Whether about solving climate change challenges or improving healthcare, the aim was to support early career researchers to develop their ideas through findings suitable team-mates, mentors, and access a range of relevant datasets. Finalists were also invited to join the post-hackathon accelerator programme which serves as a launchpad for impactful startups committed to creating a better world, including help from Future Worlds, the tech startup accelerator at the University of Southampton.

Posted 03/07/2025 09:03