Donegal artist and Derry neurotech boss bound for Boston with unique therapeutic collaboration

Professor Damien Coyle of NeuroCONCISE Ltd. and Sharon McDaid, of Silver Birch Gallery and Studios, will be among 15 entrepreneurs from very different industry backgrounds from Donegal and Derry who will descend on Massachusetts from Tuesday, November 14, to Friday, November 17, to try to expand their business links in the USA.

NeuroCONCISE is a cutting edge neurotechnology research and innovation company, based at Magee; Silver Birch, an art gallery in Inishowen.

The latter produces award-winning contemporary Irish art, which has become part of many private and public collections at home and abroad.

The former provides high quality assistive neurotechnology related services and products such as movement-free diagnostics, communication and control processes which address the rehabilitation needs of millions of patients, who are severely physically impaired due to disease or brain injury.

Surprisingly, Ms. McDaid’s and Professor Coyle’s research and future visions have surprisingly already identified links, however.

Combining Silver Birch’s Art Therapy techniques and creativity with NeuroCONCISE’s cutting edge neurotechnology products and assistive technology, they believe that they can can collaborate to creative expression and art expression technologies that enable people with restricted movement to benefit from the therapeutic benefits of art.

It is widely known that art therapy and assistive technologies have helped with post traumatic stress disorders and patients who have suffered brain injuries and physical injuries causing disability.

Patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders have experienced stress reduction and wellness through art therapies.

Ms. McDaid said she is really excited to be travelling to Boston with this delegation from the North West of Ireland, not only with the hope of developing her own contacts in the creative and artistic sector in Boston and throughout the US, but to network with a wider network of entrepreneurs.

Prof. Coyle, founded NeuroCONCISE Ltd., in 2016.

The firm builds wearable neurotechnology that is underpinned by award winning research and development that he conducted over 15 years at Ulster University.

NeuroCONCISE’s technology non-invasively measures and translates brainwaves into control signals using advanced algorithms to enable people to interact with technology and communicate without moving and has applications in rehabilitation, diagnostics, augmentative and assistive communication devices and entertainment.

Ms. McDaid works in a variety of creative media and is inspired by the surroundings of her native and naturally stunning Inishowen. She has a passion for art therapy and her art forms part of many collections in hospitals, medical & rehabilitation clinics providing therapy to patients.