Hundreds of students from around the world gathered in New York City last week for the Microsoft Imagine Cup finals.
Hundreds
of
students
from
around
the
world
gathered
in
New
York
City
last
week
for
the
Microsoft
Imagine
Cup
finals
.
They came to present their ideas for using technology to solve world problems.
They
came
to
present
their
ideas
for
using
technology
to
solve
world
problems
.
Microsoft education director Suzi Levine says the nine-year-old program began mainly as a competition to create technology.
Microsoft
education
director
Suzi
Levine
says
the
nine-year-old
program
began
mainly
as
a
competition
to
create
technology
.
SUZI LEVINE: "When we realized that students really actually want to have a purpose for what they're creating, we introduced the idea of inspiring them with the UN Millennium Development Goals and suggesting that they use those for their muse.
SUZI
LEVINE
:
``
When
we
realized
that
students
really
actually
want
to
have
a
purpose
for
what
they
're
creating
,
we
introduced
the
idea
of
inspiring
them
with
the
UN
Millennium
Development
Goals
and
suggesting
that
they
use
those
for
their
muse
.
"This past year we also rolled out something called the Imagine Cup Solve This library, where IGOs, NGOs and nonprofits can submit some of the technical challenges that they would like students to consider for their solutions."
``
This
past
year
we
also
rolled
out
something
called
the
Imagine
Cup
Solve
This
library
,
where
IGOs
,
NGOs
and
nonprofits
can
submit
some
of
the
technical
challenges
that
they
would
like
students
to
consider
for
their
solutions
.
''
Microsoft says over 350,000 high school and college students registered for this year's competition.
Microsoft
says
over
350,000
high
school
and
college
students
registered
for
this
year
's
competition
.
Judges chose more than four hundred of them to attend the finals.
Judges
chose
more
than
four
hundred
of
them
to
attend
the
finals
.
SUZI LEVINE: "One from Thailand was called NewKrean, where they created a Windows Phone 7 application that allows you to broadcast your location to your social network of friends so that you can be more easily rescued."
SUZI
LEVINE
:
``
One
from
Thailand
was
called
NewKrean
,
where
they
created
a
Windows
Phone
7
application
that
allows
you
to
broadcast
your
location
to
your
social
network
of
friends
so
that
you
can
be
more
easily
rescued
.
''
They named their application Terra.
They
named
their
application
Terra
.
Suzi Levine says there were also ideas from Egypt inspired by the revolution that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in February.
Suzi
Levine
says
there
were
also
ideas
from
Egypt
inspired
by
the
revolution
that
overthrew
president
Hosni
Mubarak
in
February
.
SUZI LEVINE: "One was to use Bluetooth as sort of a Twitter equivalent so that if the government shuts down the Internet, you actually can still have a massive social distribution."
SUZI
LEVINE
:
``
One
was
to
use
Bluetooth
as
sort
of
a
Twitter
equivalent
so
that
if
the
government
shuts
down
the
Internet
,
you
actually
can
still
have
a
massive
social
distribution
.
''
Students competed in nine categories.
Students
competed
in
nine
categories
.
For example, in software design the top prize of twenty-five thousand dollars went to Team Hermes from Ireland.
For
example
,
in
software
design
the
top
prize
of
twenty-five
thousand
dollars
went
to
Team
Hermes
from
Ireland
.
The students developed a device for cars to collect information on road conditions, driving behavior and traffic incidents.
The
students
developed
a
device
for
cars
to
collect
information
on
road
conditions
,
driving
behavior
and
traffic
incidents
.
A team from Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University won first place in the embedded development category.
A
team
from
Taiwan
's
National
Tsing
Hua
University
won
first
place
in
the
embedded
development
category
.
They developed a network of wireless devices to help plot the safest escape routes during a fire.
They
developed
a
network
of
wireless
devices
to
help
plot
the
safest
escape
routes
during
a
fire
.
Next year's awards ceremony will take place in Australia.
Next
year
's
awards
ceremony
will
take
place
in
Australia
.
Registration for Imagine Cup twenty-twelve opened Friday.
Registration
for
Imagine
Cup
twenty-twelve
opened
Friday
.
Also, Microsoft announced plans for a three million dollar program to help Imagine Cup winners further develop their projects.
Also
,
Microsoft
announced
plans
for
a
three
million
dollar
program
to
help
Imagine
Cup
winners
further
develop
their
projects
.
Hundreds of students from around the world gathered in New York City last week for the Microsoft Imagine Cup finals. They came to present their ideas for using technology to solve world problems.  Microsoft education director Suzi Levine says the nine-year-old program began mainly as a competition to create technology.  SUZI LEVINE: "When we realized that students really actually want to have a purpose for what they're creating, we introduced the idea of inspiring them with the UN Millennium Development Goals and suggesting that they use those for their muse. "This past year we also rolled out something called the Imagine Cup Solve This library, where IGOs, NGOs and nonprofits can submit some of the technical challenges that they would like students to consider for their solutions."  Microsoft says over 350,000 high school and college students registered for this year's competition. Judges chose more than four hundred of them to attend the finals.  SUZI LEVINE: "One from Thailand was called NewKrean, where they created a Windows Phone 7 application that allows you to broadcast your location to your social network of friends so that you can be more easily rescued." They named their application Terra.  Suzi Levine says there were also ideas from Egypt inspired by the revolution that overthrew president Hosni Mubarak in February.  SUZI LEVINE: "One was to use Bluetooth as sort of a Twitter equivalent so that if the government shuts down the Internet, you actually can still have a massive social distribution."  Students competed in nine categories. For example, in software design the top prize of twenty-five thousand dollars went to Team Hermes from Ireland. The students developed a device for cars to collect information on road conditions, driving behavior and traffic incidents.  A team from Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University won first place in the embedded development category. They developed a network of wireless devices to help plot the safest escape routes during a fire.  Next year's awards ceremony will take place in Australia. Registration for Imagine Cup twenty-twelve opened Friday. Also, Microsoft announced plans for a three million dollar program to help Imagine Cup winners further develop their projects.