Irish graduate shortlisted in global top 20 for James Dyson Award 2026

Ella Flanagan, a graduate from Technological University Dublin, has been shortlisted for the prestigious James Dyson Awards. Her invention, Noli, is a discreet wristband that allows the wearer to discreetly signal for help by pulling the strap and holding it for three seconds. The inspiration for Noli came from Flanagan's family, many of whom are mental health nurses who have faced assault and safety concerns in the workplace.

Flanagan's background in design, rather than nursing, stemmed from witnessing the emotional and physical burden faced by her family, a situation she aimed to improve with Noli. The wristband uses a Bluetooth low energy hybrid mesh network that does not rely on Wi-Fi, ensuring reliable alerts in various settings. When activated, Noli sends signals to the nearest three staff members, allowing them to intervene quickly.

Flanagan's invention has also been recognized with the National Scholarship Recipient status from the HSE’s Spark Innovation programme and the National Innovation Award Winner in the HSE’s Design on the Frontline Competition. Now, Noli advances to the final judging stage, where James Dyson will assess Flanagan's work and she could win a substantial €35,000 prize.