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NINE shortlisted teams will be competing tomorrow in the national finals of a technology challenge staged at City Centre Bahrain’s Westin Hotel.
As the registration doors were closed in the middle of March, a total of 46 projects were submitted setting a new record of participation in Microsoft Imagine Cup Bahrain.
A selection committee representing the Imagine Cup strategic partners in the kingdom, namely Microsoft Bahrain, Bahrain Economic Development Board and Tamkeen, reviewed all the projects and after thorough deliberation, three teams from each of the three categories were chosen to proceed to the final local round and compete for the national title.
The GAMES category honours the most engaging and entertaining games targeting young people, built on Microsoft platforms. The shortlisted teams are:
The Conscious Heart project by the Vanguards Team of Mahmoud Saeed and Nouf Abdullah, representing Bahrain Polytechnic, is a horror game that immerses players in an experience using virtual reality and biofeedback technologies. It is a game that undergoes changes according to the player’s heartbeat.
Insigma: The Orb of Shadows project by the Polytechnics’ Sparklights Team of Hasan Mohsen, Ali Rajab, Mohamed Darwish and Mohamed Alhamed is a 3D first person role-playing game that uses Microsoft Kinect to fully immerse the player in a virtual world with tasks, quests and an original storyline.
The Banana Journey project by Tetra Insignia Team of AMA International School’s Norhan Ahmed, Nicole Avehuro, Omar Nabhani and Ajibah Fallaria is a game that allows players to help monkeys explore other planets in their attempt to find oxygen, water and bananas.
The INNOVATION category honours applications that give consumers inspiration and innovation at their fingertips with Microsoft tools and technology. The shortlisted teams are:
Grow Plants Anywhere (GPA) project by eGreen Team of the University of Bahrain’s Malik Jehangir Riyaz and Muhammad Hamza Zubair is a web application that enables users to virtually decorate their living places and send their flower/plants arrangements as an image to the flower shop along with their location.
SCatcher project by Storm Team made up of the University of Bahrain’s Saira Rashed, Ahmed Abdul Majeed and Sehrish Riaz, is a windows phone application that allows users to find images in their phones’ photo gallery by simply drawing a sketch of the wanted picture and use it as a search object.
The Ting project by the Chibibyte Team of the University of Bahrain’ Salman Shehab, Taranjot Singh, Sharukh Mastan and Seif Hasan is an audio-based social media platform, developed for Windows Phone application; it aims to help people share their emotions or problems and interact with each other online via voice messages called ‘tings’.
The WORLD CITIZENSHIP category honours the software applications developed on Microsoft platforms with the greatest potential to make a positive impact on humanity. The shortlisted teams are:
Multi-mode Quadcopter project by Quadcopter Team of University of Bahrain students Nada Moosa, Latifa Ahmed and Fatima Yaqoob is an unmanned aircraft that provides the users real time video feeds; the aircraft can be remotely maneuvered by either a remote control or a mobile device allowing the users to inspect high altitudes and wide areas as they remain in their location.
EasyCom project by MyVoice Team featuring AMA International’s Adnan Adil, Omar Adil, Nadeem Mohammed and Mohamed AbdulBari aims to help in completely revolutionising the way mute people communicate and help create a seamless way of communication between people who cannot speak and others.
Nanny project by ‘Nanny Team is Nanny Robot’ from the University of Bahrain’s Hoda Abdulshaheed, Hawra Ahmed Ibrahim and Alaa Salaheddin, is a robot that does the role of a real nanny and is controlled via a mobile application to do several tasks. Moreover, it is equipped with a mounted camera that provides video transmission option allowing parents to check on their children anytime they want.
The three national champion teams will represent the kingdom in the Imagine Cup 2015 Pan Arab semi-finals hosted in Bahrain at the end of May. The Pan Arab Champions will then participate in the competition’s global finals in the US city of Seattle in the summer.
