Walton Institute

25/08/2026

Walton Institute at South East Technological University's Rahul Mhapsekar, Ph.D. recently completed a secondment at UBITECH as part of the EU-funded DUCA Project.

The secondment at UBITECH focused on strengthening international collaboration in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and distributed intelligent systems. Discussions centred on developing scalable and secure digital solutions capable of supporting next-generation cyber-physical systems across multiple application domains.

Read the full story below ⬇️

https://waltoninstitute.ie/news-and-events/news/walton-researcher-completes-duca-secondment-at-ubitech-greece

The secondment at UBITECH focused on strengthening international collaboration in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and distributed intelligent systems.

20/08/2026

In this video Walton Institute at South East Technological University's Rahul Mhapsekar, Ph.D. along with 4 other researchers share their experiences during their secondments at Cubit Innovation Labs as part of the DUCA Project.

Over the course of the four-week secondment, Rahul worked closely with CUBITLAB researchers to advance secure and trustworthy AI and IoT systems within the DUCA framework. The placement combined technical research with knowledge exchange between academic and industry partners, enabling the practical evaluation of secure data governance approaches for distributed intelligent systems.

Learn more about the impact of Rahul's secondment here: https://waltoninstitute.ie/news-and-events/news/dr-rahul-umesh-mhapsekar-completes-horizon-europe-duca-project-secondment-at-cubitlab-italy

| Cubit

17/08/2026

Walton Institute at South East Technological University's work with Letsbuyhealthcare is featured in Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI)'s Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey below.

Letsbuyhealthcare is an Irish SME focused on improving access to private healthcare through digital technology solutions. The company engaged with Walton Institute to explore how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and advanced cloud-based architectures, could be integrated into its platform to enhance its offering and support future growth 🙌 🇮🇪

Read the full story on page 27:https://www.knowledgetransferireland.com/Reports-Publications/Annual-Knowledge-Transfer-Survey-2025v2.pdf

For more info and watch our interview with LetsBuyHealthcare CEO David Allen CPA MBA: https://waltoninstitute.ie/industry/case-studies/letsbuyhealthcare-case-study



Enterprise Ireland | EU Funds Ireland | Southern Regional Assembly

30/07/2026

📜 Excited to share our latest publication on how agent-based modelling can support more sustainable dairy farming and help inform future agricultural policies and decisions.

This research was led by Surya Jayakumar, Master's by Research student at Walton Institute, South East Technological University, as part of the AgNav project under the supervision of Dr Indrakshi Dey, alongside Kieran Sullivan, John McLaughlin, and Christine O'Meara.

'Agent-Based Modeling of Low-Emission Fertilizer Adoption for Dairy Farm Decarbonisation using Empirical Farm Data' presents a framework that uses data from Irish dairy farms to simulate how low-emission fertilisers are adopted over time.

By combining farm characteristics, farmer behaviour, social interactions, and policy interventions, the framework enables the agricultural sector to explore how different strategies may influence technology adoption and greenhouse gas emissions before they are implemented.

This research has emanated from work conducted with the financial support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) under the 2023 Thematic Research Call, project reference number 2023RP956.

Learn more about the potential impact of this work ➡️
https://waltoninstitute.ie/news-and-events/news/publication-agent-based-modeling-of-low-emission-fertilizer-adoption-for-dairy-farm-decarbonisation-using-empirical-farm-data

This research uses a simulation method that mimics how individual farmers make decisions, to study how dairy farmers might adopt new low-emission technologies.

30/07/2026

Camilla Marks, Co-founder of ParenTalk, explains how working with both the ICS Technology Gateway and ENTIRE EDIH teams at Walton Institute, South East Technological University, helped her and her organisation in its digital transformation journey.

ParenTalk, operated by Toddler Talk Ltd., is a start-up dedicated to supporting working parents by closing the gap between parenting and the workplace in a way that actually works. The company delivers expert-led, practical, emotionally intelligent support for working parents – from early years through adolescence.

ParenTalk partnered with Walton Institute to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically Natural Language Processing (NLP), could power a smarter, more scalable version of their wellbeing platform 🙌 🇮🇪

| Enterprise Ireland | Southern Regional Assembly | EU Funds Ireland

28/07/2026

An enthusiastic group took part in the fully booked microgreens workshop in Ardkeen Library on Wednesday 22 July. Facilitated by Walton Institute's Aileen Drohan, the workshop introduced 15 participants to the basics of growing microgreens at home. These young edible plants are known for their intense flavours and can typically be harvested within one to three weeks, depending on the variety. Each participant left with a microgreen kit to begin growing at home. Thank you to Europe Direct, Waterford for supporting this initiative and to Waterford City and County Libraries for hosting the workshop 🪴

22/07/2026

🎶 Malik Fazian, a PhD researcher in the Programmable Autonomous Systems Division at Walton Institute, South East Technological University is currently investigating how wearable technology and personalised music therapy can support emotional wellbeing.

Automated Music Therapy for Anxiety and Depression Management (AMITY) combines physiological monitoring using a smartwatch with intelligent analysis to deliver personalised music interventions for adults experiencing anxiety, depression, or significant daily stress.

Malik is currently seeking volunteers adults aged 25 years+ to take part. Read the full story for more information and to learn how to get involved

https://waltoninstitute.ie/news-and-events/news/exploring-music-therapy-to-support-emotional-wellbeing

21/07/2026

Syeda Maryam Hussain, a PhD researcher in the Mobile Ecosystem and Pervasive Sensing Division at Walton Institute, South East Technological University, is currently researching how autistic children respond to different types of fabric in clothing. This research aims to better understand fabric comfort and sensory preferences among autistic children, based on parents’ observations and experiences.

Syeda is currently seeking parents and guardians of autistic children between the ages of 4 and 13 years old to participate in an online anonymous survey and voice their opinion.

Follow the link for more information and if you would like to take part: https://setu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3KvgNPPN7XW1XSu

This research is supervised by Walton Institute's Dr Frances Cleary, Prof. Martina Gooney from the Department of Nursing & Healthcare at SETU, and Dr Sharon Kinsella from the Department of Health and Sport Science at SETU.

16/07/2026

📢 Ireland, Germany, Greece and Luxembourg unite to establish quantum-secure network: exciting new EuroQCI research and deployment project TransEuroOGS will link optical ground stations (OGS) across Europe.

🤝 Walton Institute at South East Technological University leads the Irish national eco-system, including Galway based industry partner MBRYONICS, in this EuroQCI initiative. A total project budget of €18 million is from the European Commission’s CEF Digital and national co-funding from the four participating Member States. The Irish Government’s Department of Culture, Communications and Sport will co-fund the project in Ireland up to €5.7 million.

⚡TransEuroOGS aims to establish a network of interoperable optical ground stations for satellite-based quantum-secure communication across four EU Member States: Germany, Greece, Ireland and Luxembourg, which will ultimately ensure quantum-secure communication across borders.

➡️ Today, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan TD O’Donovan TD, said: “The funding being announced today will support a 42-month long project to develop a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)-secured satellite ground station in Ireland by leading researchers and innovators based in Waterford and Galway. This funding provides for the building of key indigenous skills and capacities, helping both to strengthen research in quantum communications and support the growth of innovative Irish companies.''

➡️ Dr. Deirdre Kilbane, Director of Research at Walton Institute SETU, and Irish National Coordinator of TransEuroOGS, said: “Walton Institute at SETU is proud to lead national efforts in the TransEuroOGS project to secure sensitive data and critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. Alongside our partners in Greece, Germany, and Luxembourg we are building a network of optical ground stations that will seamlessly link earth and space to deliver quantum-secure, cross-border connectivity across Europe.”

🔵 Read more about the TransEuroOGS project and the exciting role the Irish partners will play in developing a mobile OGS to connect to satellite missions: https://waltoninstitute.ie/news-and-events/news/lead-irish-partner-in-transeuroogs



South East Technological University

Walton Institute at SETU leads the TransEuroQCI project in Ireland, a new quantum-secure space-to-ground network interface project

13/07/2026

Walton Institute’s Stephen Barnes reflects on the rapid acceleration of XR technologies in this recent interview with TechCentral.

During the pandemic, the ICT sector experienced the equivalent of seven years development in just 18 months driven by the need for remote collaboration, and also saw increased adoption of mobile-based augmented reality.

🎧 Listen from the 35-minute mark to hear Stephen's insights on the future of Extended Reality, and the evolution of immersive technologies, from Microsoft HoloLens to Apple Vision Pro and the latest generation of smart glasses:

https://www.techcentral.ie/walton-institutes-stephen-barnes-on-the-next-wave-of-extended-reality/?utm_source=TechCentral+newsletter&utm_campaign=2ae6430bd4-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_05_07_04_41_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-a9fb765fce-213287329