The Machine: A computer science education podcast

Ho ho ho! Five of the regular podcast hosts from WIT got together to record a joint episode recommending some books, TV programmes, films, podcasts and tech that you (or a loved one) might enjoy over the Christmas period. Features Jenny O’Connor from The Nerve, Bruce Wardrop from Win Win, Niamh Maguire from Engendering Change, Tom Grinsell from WIT Talks Student Life and Rob O’Connor of The Machine.

A very Happy Christmas to all our listeners.

Recommendation Notes:

Bruce Wardrop

Niamh Maguire

Tom Grinsell

Jenny O’Connor

Rob O’Connor

Extra Notes:

"LOVE: A Puzzle Box Filled With Stories" is the recent release from Canadian studio RocketShip Park Games. Rob spoke with their chief games designer and programmer Shane McCafferty (originally from Slieverue, Co. Kilkenny) about how he got into games development and the processes that led to LOVE. Shane talks about the emotional motivation behind the game, collaborating with other artists (both visual and musical) as well as detailing one of the tech used in creating the game. The podcast also includes some snippets of the music used in the game, written and performed by Waterford musician Neil White. 

LOVE - A Puzzle Box Filled with Stories is available on Steam 

Quantum communication! Cybersecurity! Controlling tractors from space! Rob spoke with Mark White (Head of Research WIT) and Niall Smith (Head of Research CIT) about the newly formed SEE (Society, Economy, Environment) Space Network, Ireland's first space region as academics in Cork and Waterford join forces to forge links with the European Space Agency. Can Ireland have a positive impact on space research? These folks certainly think so! For more information visit spacenetwork.ie

We have three IT security and forensics experts in the virtual studio for this episode! Rob knows next to nothing about cybersecurity so was able to honestly ask questions like "what is a denial of service attack?' and "how does encryption work?." Thankfully Judy Kelly (Security Architect with Red Hat), Jimmy McGibney and John Sheppard (both Lecturers from WIT) were on hand to provide the answers. It also includes some practical hints and tips on how you can best protect your personal data and devices. If you're searching for a starting place to understand computer security, look no further ...

The COVIDTracker app, developed by NearForm in Tramore Co. Waterford has become the basis for exposure notification apps across the globe. In this episode, Rob O'Connor speaks with Conor O'Neill, Chief Product Officer with NearForm about the history of the company, how the HSE first approached NearForm, how the app works and the technologies used to create it as well as addressing some of the criticisms of the app. Conor also explains the philosophy behind Open Source software and how this app exemplifies public private partnership.

This is the first in our new series Developer Stories which will run periodically across the academic year where we learn HOW computing products are created and distributed. For more details on NearForm and their upcoming DECODED series of webinars, visit www.nearform.com. For more information on WIT, please visit www.wit.ie

Rob O'Connor discusses the new academic year with Colm Dunphy and Siobhan Drohan and the shift from on-campus to remote teaching and learning. They discuss some things they enjoy and dislike, some tools they find useful and outline other observations and tips.

Following on from our previous episode, here's a discussion about two more Covid19 projects that are being actively worked on during the lockdown by researchers from TSSG at WIT. Rob chats with Director of Research at TSSG Sasitharan Balasubramaniam along with Dixon Vimalajeewa and Bruna Fonesca to discuss "Treating Lung Tissue Damage due to COVID-19" and "Molecular Communication modelling of COVID-19 in the Respiratory System", projects that are collaborations with the PMBRC research group at WIT, Teagasc, the University of Tampere (Finland) and Rochester Institute of Technology (USA).

The conversation goes off on a bit of a tangent about data sets, molecular computing, remote working and some other subjects. Please excuse the glitchy sound quality in places - obviously, due to the Covid19 lockdown this podcast was recorded remotely.

This week Sean and Jack caught up with WIT’s Sport Psychology Lecturers and practitioners Ciara Losty and Gerry Fitzpatrick. They discussed all things Sports Psychology from their own experiences, to living in the current pandemic as well as detailing the Masters of Science in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology course which takes place in WIT. An excellent listen from two of the very best in their field.

Applying their expertise in information communications technology (ICT), researchers from TSSG at WIT are working to develop both short as well as long term solutions for COVID-19. Rob O'Connor spoke with Frances Cleary and Stepan Ivanov of TSSG to discuss some of their projects including 1) ensuring social distancing though wearables 2) blockchain based certification of public health policies 3) clinical data as a service software platform and 4) contact quotas to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Details on these projects (and more) can be found on www.tssg.org and www.wit.ie.

Please excuse the sound quality in places. This podcast was recorded remotely over low-bandwidth internet connections.