A number of UCC students have won a major international engineering prize for using smart technology to monitor activity and conditions within beehives.

The project, which aims to help stem the massive decline in bees worldwide, won the Smarter Planet Challenge, which is run by IBM and the Institute of Electronic Engineering.

Called, '(2B) OR!(2B)' the device offers and energy neutral way of remotely observing hives. A number of sensors placed within inside the hive report on temperature, humidity, oxygen levels and other variables. These are connected to a wireless network and upload data to the cloud.

The award, which comes with a prize of €5,000, marks the second time in three years that UCC students have won the challenge.