Smart Product Engineering

Overview

Modern life involves more and more interaction with smart products including smartphones, fitness trackers, autonomous cars, virtual assistants like Alexa, electronic medical devices, energy monitors and industrial equipment. To meet user requirements, these products must have aesthetic appeal and must include sensors, embedded computing, communication networks, cloud-based services and an engaging and functional user interface. Smart products gather and manage data and integrate with cloud services to best meet the demands of the modern user. Smart Products are part of the larger Internet of Things (IoT) world, but Smart Products provide the human-centric experiences, behind which lie the Computer, Sensor and Engineering Science technologies. In this way, they can deliver impactful personal and societal benefits in health and wellbeing, energy efficiency and sustainability, environmental protection and future transport.

Industrial partners have guided the course design and development to ensure that it integrates the competencies of the diverse disciplines involved in Smart Product Development and management. This programme enables students to; identify opportunities in the fast-changing marketplace for smart products, develop product requirements, and design and evaluate prototypes.

This programme is designed for students who are keen to combine their technical and creative design ability with the business skills required to achieve commercial success. It employs a project-based approach to teaching and learning in which students focus each semester on developing, prototyping and evaluating product solutions. Course delivery relies heavily on practical, studio-based projects and assessments, giving students the opportunity to combine electronic engineering with manufacturing techniques and design methodologies to develop products and systems to meet customer requirements in a real-life product development setting.

What will I study?

First year at a glance

Year 1 is a mix of theory and practice, with an average of 10 hours in the classroom and 12 hours of applied work.

• Design Thinking: Promotes a human-centred approach to understanding customer’s needs, generating creative ideas and rapid prototyping.
• Sensor measurement: Smart products interface with the real world using sensors and the circuits to connect sensors to the digital world are introduced.
• 3D Design and Print: Apply Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) to produce devices to be prototyped in the 3D printing studio.
• Embedded Software: Students learn to design and write embedded software to control a smart product.
• Mathematics: A skills-building module, as engineers use maths to design systems
• Innovation and Teamwork: Develop skills to create and assess innovation strategies and collaborate on team activities.

Entry Requirements

Entry 2024

For admission to a programme, standard applicants must

• score the necessary CAO points and
• meet the minimum entry requirements

Leaving Certificate in six subjects i.e. H5 in two subjects and O6/H7 in four other subjects. The six subjects must include Mathematics O3/H6, and either English or Irish grade O6/H7.

For Non-EU International Entry Requirements please visit https://www.mtu.ie/international/non-eu/.

Career options

Employment Opportunities

There is a strong demand for engineering graduates with practical IoT and digital product development knowledge. Industrial input to the programme development ensures that graduates will develop sought after engineering, design and business skills in key future technologies.

Students undertake a relevant work placement between April and September of third year. This introduces them to the work practices and environments that they will encounter as professional engineers.

Graduates can work in product design, requirements specification, electronic and mechanical design and prototyping, embedded software development, systems test, manufacturing, cloud service provision and project/business management.

Progression

Further Studies

Upon successful completion of this programme, graduates may apply for postgraduate study in a variety of related master programmes. The NIMBUS Research Centre, at MTU, Bishopstown Campus, Cork, offers PhD opportunities in relevant topics.