UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK graduate and inventor Cathal Redmond has finished runner-up in the annual James Dyson Award competition with his underwater breathing system.
Redmond, who graduated from the college in August, was declared the winner of the design prize’s Irish leg in September for his invention, the Express Dive.
The device allows divers to breathe underwater for up to two minutes without scuba apparatus. Its one-litre air supply can be refilled with the press of a button once the user returns to the surface.
While a full diving kit can cost thousands of euro, the estimated price for the Express Dive is about €400.
As equal runner-up in the competition, Redmond became the first Irish student to place in the international awards during its 11-year history.
He won $7,500 (€7,000) to continue developing his invention, on top of the €2,500 he previously took home as the Irish award recipient.
The top prize in the international competition, which this year drew more than 700 entrants from across the world, went to four engineering students from the University of Waterloo in Canada.
They designed a portable circuit-board maker that used the same principles as 3D printers to dramatically streamline the process.
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