Târgu Mureș, May 9–10, 2025 – The Scientific Student Conference (TDK) was organized at the Faculty of Sapientia – Târgu Mureș, being one of the most important platforms for young researchers in the region. This year’s event featured academic-level presentations, valuable researches, and enthusiastic student participation.

Over two days, more than 100 students presented their research papers, structured on 10 topic tracks. The presentations were evaluated by a jury panel consisting of university professors, researchers, and external experts. The main goal of the conference was to encourage student research and strengthen relationships between mentors and students.

Codespring│SOFTECH: Active Supporter and Mentoring Partner

One of the main supporters of the event was Codespring by SOFTECH, , a company deeply committed to talent development and long-term collaboration with academic institutions. Through its sponsored mentoring programme, several students achieved outstanding results at the conference, gaining significant academic recognition:

Informatics and Software Development – Section I

• Special Mention: Gergő B., Botond O.: Vitalink Mobile Application – Heart Rate Monitoring Using PPG Technology

Paper excerpt: “Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death worldwide. The modern lifestyle – characterized by physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and increased stress – significantly raises the risk of developing these conditions. Despite this, a large portion of the population does not prioritize maintaining their health, as traditional medical examinations are time-consuming and not always accessible.

The aim of  the research is to explore the possibilities of heart rate measurement using mobile device cameras, and to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of this method. Smartphones may offer an easily accessible and user-friendly solution for health monitoring, contributing to the continuous tracking and maintenance of cardiovascular health. The works applies  the principle of photoplethysmography (PPG), a widely used technique in the industry for heart rate determination. Its popularity stems from its non-invasive nature and easy accessibility, making it suitable for both medical and consumer devices.

The application was developed using the React Native framework, while the server side is powered by Java Spring. The accuracy of the measurements was validated through comparative studies with various external devices, such as smartwatches and pulse oximeters.”

Informatics and Software Development – Section II

• Second Prize and National TDK Nomination: Patrik T.: Gesture Vision AI – Real-time Management of Gesture-based Interactions and Events

Project excerpt: “The paper  presents the development of a real-time gesture recognition system designed to detect hand movements and other human gestures and convert them into events.

The aim of the system is to provide a flexible and easily integrable solution for various application areas, such as controlling interactive presentations, managing smart home systems, or sending notifications to mobile devices. The developed API is capable of identifying user gestures in real time and transmitting them to client-side applications via webhooks. The received events can be freely processed, allowing for the creation of various interaction models.

The webhook-based architecture of the API enables broad integration across different platforms, including web applications, mobile systems, and IoT devices. The open design of the system allows developers to add additional gestures and develop customized interaction models. One of the key application areas highlighted in the paper is interactive education and presentations, where the presenter can navigate projected content through hand gestures, and even be visually integrated into the presentation itself, enhancing the experience and maintaining audience engagement.

The results confirm the system’s efficiency and flexibility. The API simplifies the development and integration of natural human-computer interactions in a wide range of practical applications.”

Informatics and Software Development – Section III

• Second Prize: Armand T., Norbert K.: EventHub – An Event Aggregation and Search System Based on Generative AI Methods

Paper excerpt: “Many of us are familiar with the situation of not knowing how to spend our free time—whether at home or in a new city. It often happens that we miss out on interesting events simply because we don’t hear about them in time, or at all. This is usually due to the fragmented availability of event information, or the fact that it never reaches us. The EventHub web application offers a solution to this problem.

The goal of the application is to help users keep track of various events, ensuring they never miss programs that matter to them. The app makes event information easily accessible and well-organized, simplifying the planning of free time, no matter where the user is. The system’s frontend is built using Next.js/React and TypeScript, providing an intuitive user experience, while the backend is based on .NET/C# and PostgreSQL, ensuring efficient data handling and scalability.E vent data collection is supported by a combination of the Facebook SDK, Puppeteer, and AI-Scraper, enabling accurate and rapid data gathering, even from complex websites.

The application offers features such as a map view, filtering options, calendar integration, and route planning, further expanding its functionality. The platform supports multiple user roles (Guest, User, Organizer, Superadmin), allowing guests to browse without registration, while event organizers can integrate their events automatically. Deployment was carried out using a GitLab CI/CD pipeline and Docker containerization, ensuring stable and secure operation (e.g., with a wildcard SSL certificate).

• Special mention: Szabolcs D., Ákos K.: Skinology – The Intersection of Skincare and Technology

Paper excerpt: “Skincare is an increasingly significant field in modern society, where both subjective individual needs and scientific knowledge play a crucial role in people’s lives. Some individuals recognize that well-maintained and healthy-looking skin contributes to a confident and positive appearance, both in their personal and professional lives. Nevertheless, a large portion of society does not place enough emphasis on proper skin care.The aim of this thesis is to develop an innovative and compact mobile application called Skinology, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to offer personalized and quick skincare solutions for users.

The application is built around three core features that aim to transform users’ daily lives:

• Creation of personalized skincare routines to encourage consistency. The user receives reminder notifications before their routine begins, ensuring they don’t forget to complete it.
• Ingredient analysis of skincare products, allowing users to better understand exactly what they’re applying to their skin. By categorizing the ingredients, it becomes clear how healthy or potentially harmful each product is for the skin.
• AI-powered skin analysis. Using a personalized AI model, the app analyzes user-uploaded photos to identify potential skin issues or to provide positive feedback if no conditions are detected—saving users time and offering peace of mind.

Skinology is a promising tool in the field of personalized dermatology, combining artificial intelligence with skincare science to provide effective solutions in a user-friendly and intuitive way. The application aims to promote conscious skincare practices and enhance the efficiency of dermatological care. With the help of Skinology, people can achieve healthier skin, a more refined appearance, and greater self-confidence.”

The Impact of The Mentoring Programme

The mentoring program not only provided technical support to the students but also offered professional guidance, ongoing consultation, and inspiration throughout their research journeys.

The mentorship program serves as a unique bridge between students and the professional world, with Codespring│SOFTECH playing an active role in shaping the next generation of IT specialists. Throughout the programme, students have the opportunity to work on real-life projects under the guidance of experienced mentors, allowing them to not only enhance their technical skills but also gain insight into the everyday challenges of teamwork, problem-solving, and software development. The friendly and supportive environment encourages students to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn— all within a setting that values growth and individual initiative.

A Celebration of the Academic Community

The event was characterized by a friendly yet professionally demanding atmosphere. Participants received valuable and constructive feedback, and the best projects earned the opportunity to advance to national-level OTDK competitions.

Feeling Proud and A Sense of Progress

With this event, the Târgu Mureș Campus of Sapientia EMTE once again demonstrated its commitment to providing high-level theoretical and practical education and fostering a productive research environment. The success of the mentoring program, supported by Codespring│SOFTECH, is further proof that collaboration between industry and academia leads to tangible, impactful results.

SOFTECH one of the leading software development companies in the region, takes pride in actively contributing to the growth of future professionals. The goal of their mentorship program is to provide university students with real industry experience and professional guidance.

We are delighted that the Scientific Students’ Conference (TDK) took place in Targu-Mures, within the walls of Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania. This event not only provided a platform for scientific dialogue and innovative ideas but also strengthened the university’s role in building a vibrant academic community. It is especially important for us that such a prestigious event was hosted by a Hungarian-language higher education institution, as it supports the development of young researchers and contributes to the dynamic scientific life of the region.

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