Longford man Owen Collumb to compete in Cybathlon event in October

Mullinalaghta man Owenie Collumb will be taking part in October in Cybathlon 2024 in Zurich, Switzerland. He featured in a news article on the BBC website this week. 

Owenie is a native of Larkfield and lives in Dublin.

The Cybathlon is a competition involving wheelchair, bike, and track events and Owenie is training alongside scientists from the Department of Computer Science in Bath University in England. 

Owenie, as pilot of the NeuroCONCISE Team, will compete using a brain-computer interface developed at the university and is hoping to complete a set of four challenges in the shortest amount of time. 

The researchers are trying to create easy-to-deploy wearable neurotechnologies on a large scale and hope to get them out to as many people as possible.

The devices measure brain activity with the person wearing them – the pilot – being asked to imagine movements, with the devices then trying to pick up signals in the movement-related area of the brain and try to translate them to control signals that enable the pilot to interact with the computer without moving. 

More information can be found at https://cybathlon.ethz.ch/en/events/edition/cybathlon-2024 and at https://www.bath.ac.uk/research-institutes/bath-institute-for-the-augmented-human/ 

Owenie has been successful in these competitions before and all his friends hope that he will be able to reproduce his earlier victories.

Owen Collumb was an active athlete who excelled in sports like basketball, table tennis, and served as the captain of Mullinalaghta footballers. In 1993, Owen's life took a significant turn after a motorcycle accident left him almost entirely paralysed from the shoulders down. The sudden and severe nature of the accident drastically altered his physical abilities and way of life.

The accident marked a challenging period for Owen as he navigated through the daunting process of rehabilitation. Despite the difficulties he faced, Owen found a silver lining in the realisation that many other young people were also coping with similar life-altering injuries. This understanding served as a source of inspiration for Owen and motivated him to find ways to cope with his new reality.

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Through perseverance and a resilient attitude, Owen gradually began to adapt to his changed circumstances. He channelled his energy into supporting other disabled individuals, particularly children with muscle diseases, by facilitating access to suitable accommodation, job opportunities, and organising activities to help them integrate into society. This newfound purpose not only gave Owen a sense of fulfilment but also allowed him to make a positive impact on the lives of others facing challenges similar to his own.

Despite the profound impact of the accident on his mobility and independence, Owen's spirit remains unbroken. He continues to embrace life with a positive outlook, seeking out opportunities to make a difference in the lives of those around him. Additionally, Owen recognises the potential of emerging technologies such as Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) and is eager to leverage them to achieve new milestones, including competing at events like Cybathlon.

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Owen's journey serves as a testament to the power of resilience, compassion, and determination in overcoming adversity. Despite the hardships he has faced, Owen has emerged as a beacon of hope and inspiration, showing that with the right mindset and support system, one can navigate life's challenges and create meaning and purpose out of even the most difficult circumstances.

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