A four-member team of computer science students from the University of Hawaii at Hilo competed in the Imagine Cup 2013 Worldwide Finals, sponsored by Microsoft, July 8 to 11 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Although Team Poliahu did not capture top honors, competing on the world stage was a significant achievement.
A four-member team of computer science students from the University of Hawaii at Hilo competed in the Imagine Cup 2013 Worldwide Finals, sponsored by Microsoft, July 8 to 11 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Although Team Poliahu did not capture top honors, competing on the world stage was a significant achievement.
“It has been great to see UH-Hilo students recognized as some of the best in the world,” said faculty adviser Harry Keith Edwards. “The U.S. national championship and our participation in the world finals demonstrate that students at UH-Hilo receive a quality education and can compete with the best in the world.”
Team Poliahu — Mike Purvis, Kayton Summers, Wallace Hamada and Ryder Donahue — won the U.S. Championship in May with their “Help Me Help” application, which aids the community and emergency response personnel in disaster situations by allowing users to upload images of nearby hazards through the use of smartphones.
Team Poliahu competed against more than 30 other teams in the Innovation category that included entries from China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Slovenia, Thailand and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom’s team captured top honors with their mobile phone application, SoundSYNK, which is designed to establish an impromptu social network by connecting phones through Bluetooth. Team DORA of Slovenia finished second and Thailand’s Team MYRA came in third.
“We feel proud of our project, presentation, and the teams that won,” Purvis said. “We’re looking forward to implementing the Mauna Kea Guide to track native and invasive species when we return.”
The Imagine Cup is the premier student technology competition that honors innovations that address the world’s toughest problems. This year’s competition drew 87 student teams from 71 countries who competed for more than $1 million in cash and prizes.