Receiving the Beadnell scholarship didn’t just set Oliver Marsay on the way to a receiving a first class honours degree, it also enabled him to complete work on his pioneering new technology project.
The Electronic and Electrical Engineering graduate’s plan was centred on developing his understanding of Haptics, a new frontier of the touch technology that’s now used in regularly in everyday life.
He wrote a computer program that recognises the user’s touch sensation with an object, allowing them greater control than a standard touch screen. Oliver’s belief is that the technology could be used to benefit the aviation, medial and gaming industries.
The technology is only just starting to make its way into the public domain and was used by Apple in the development of their smartwatch.
With such an ambitious project, Oliver had to dedicate an enormous amount of time and effort to turning his ideas into a reality. The scholarship proved hugely helpful in giving him the financial security along with the necessary equipment needed to finish the project to a high standard
Oliver said: “My final year project was an incredible insight into the world of research. Completing this with help from the scholarship has really proven to me where my interests are.”
The first class grade he received for his work was one of the highest ever seen on the course, a testament to the quality of his work.
Dr Mike Knowles, Senior Lecturer at the University of Sunderland said: “What has impressed me regarding Oliver’s project work has been how he has tackled an extremely open-ended problem at the cutting edge of technology in an independent and self-managed fashion.
“This is particularly impressive for an undergraduate student as this is something we would usually look to develop in our students during postgraduate study.”
For Oliver, his achievements could not have been possible without the Scholarship. He added: “I would like to thank the William Beadnell Foundation for their support throughout my final year and into my future.”
Oliver is now set to begin his Masters course, a specialised Mechatronics and Robotics programme at the University of Leeds. He is excited about starting the next step to his dream career and has aimed to reach the upper echelons of the profession within the decade.
“Medical robotics is my greatest interest within the field and something I am very much looking forward to learning about.” He explained. “In the next 10 years, I would like to be working at a high level in a research profession or running my own medical engineering research institute.”