A student from the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) will represent the UAE at the 2011 Microsoft Imagine Cup global finals set to take place in New York this July.
Shawn Frank, 20, called his team Hex Pistols and claimed third place for his project "momEcare" at the Imagine Cup regional finals at the American University in Dubai, last week.
"MomEcare" is a low-cost pregnancy and childbirth assistance software application system for a mobile-based platform. His project was done in collaboration with the American Hospital in Dubai.
"MomEcare is designed to tackle the fifth UN Millennium development goal of improving maternal health worldwide," said Frank. "My research has found that 70 per cent of pregnancy and birth related deaths in the developing world can be prevented through relevant education and the use of simple technologies."
Other GCC regional winners who will represent their countries in the global finals in July are Swap team from the American University of Kuwait for the ‘Revolutionary reporting system' project, as well as the Omani team, from Sultan Qaboos University, for their project "Help me educate others."
The teams won over the senior enterprise and government members on the judging panel with a 15-minute-long presentation.
"I am amazed by the creativity and innovation shown by this special calibre of students at this year's regional finals," said Samer Abu-Latif, Regional General Manager, Microsoft Gulf.
Everybody wins
Team explorers won the mobile application development category for their project ‘touch.edu' at this year's regional finals of the Microsoft Imagine Cup at the American University in Dubai, last week.
Although they will not be heading off to New York for the global finals, telecommunications corporation du has offered them a space within its Shelter initiative. The Shelter is a business incubation facility aimed at helping entrepreneurs to nurture small businesses.
GCC 2011 Microsoft Imagine Cup winners
1. Omani team, Sultan Qaboos University: Project "Help me educate others".
2. Swap team, the American University of Kuwait: Project "Revolutionary reporting system."
3. Hex Pistols, University of Wollongong in Dubai: Project "momEcare"
