Tekst: Thomas Møller Christensen, AAU Innovation. Foto: Heidi Nørgaard Jensen, AAU Innovation.
On Wednesday 30 June, AAU student Daniel Nielsen won the first edition of the ‘Health HUB Innovation Award’. The competition is a new initiative that Health HUB AAU has launched to pay tribute to the good healthcare idea and support innovation potential among students.
Daniel Nielsen, who studies Interactive Digital Media, won for his idea for a mobile app that, by means of persuasive design, helps adults with ADHD to create structure and overview in their everyday lives. Persuasive design is about influencing the user to change behavior or perform certain actions in a way so that the user is aware of the changed behavior. In addition, the app also teaches people with ADHD about their own diagnosis and addresses the anxiety that often accompanies ADHD.
The concept has been validated in collaboration with a psychiatrist
The idea for Daniel Nielsen's app, which has the working title 'Control of everyday life', arose from his thesis. The concept is thus still new, and he therefore did not really know what to expect from the competition.
- It was cool and a bit surreal because I had not expected to win at all. Several of the others had already developed prototypes and gained partners, while my idea is still on a concept level, Daniel Nielsen explains and adds that even though the concept is new, it is not untried; in fact it has been co-created and validated in collaboration with a psychiatrist.
Praise and recognition from the judging panel
Daniel Nielsen was praised for his idea, which the judging panel saw great potential in. But in addition, he also impressed the judges with a fine pitch that brought physical and virtual elements together. That also helped him win the audience award.
- I knew very well that I am good at presenting, but I have not tried to make such a pitch before. But it was an exciting challenge to take the academic out of my thesis and try to make it concrete and understandable for the judging panel. And fortunately, it was a success, says Daniel Nielsen.
Feels like doing more
Originally, it was Daniel Nielsen's plan to find a job when he completes his studies. But winning the ‘Health HUB Innovation Award’ has made him think differently, and he has therefore, among other things, already talked to AAU Student Entrepreneurship about participating in their Startup program.
- It was cool and a gave a big boost of confidence to be acknowledged. And it has whetted my appetite for investing 100% in my idea, so I could definitely imagine working on it, says Daniel Nielsen.
The judging panel consisted of:
Jane Bjerregaard, Head of Innovation, Idéklinikken / The North Denmark Region
Jesper Haaning, Project Vice President, Novo Nordisk
Jonas Kierkegaard, Head of Roche Innovation Lab, Roche
Kenneth Kastaniegaard, CEO of Biogenity
Mads Lause Mogensen, CEO of Treat Systems
Ole Kæseler Andersen, Vice Dean for Research at the Faculty of Medicin
Daniel Nielsen's thesis is available here:
HverdagsRo - A mobile app for adults with AD/HD with focus on persuasive design