SmarTone names winners of 24-hour hackathon
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An international team of students has won Hong Kong mobile operator SmarTone’s first smart Hackathon with a predictive maintenance solution for utilities.
The team of of four university students and programmers from India, Poland, the Philippines and the US developed Prodict during the 24-hour hackathon, which had the theme of smart properties.
Prodict analyzes data collected from various sensors and uses machine learning technology to predict the imminent failure of utilities services before they happen.
The runner up was Pop UP, a virtual guidebook for office equipment that uses augmented reality technology, while third place went to Softhard.io, a property management solution that leverages internet of things (IoT), low-power wide area networking (LPWAN) and machine learning technology.
The three winning teams shared in cash prizes of HK$50,000, HK$30,000 and HK$20,000 respectively, as well as new devices from sponsor Samsung.
In addition, the winners will also be given the chance to join the Microsoft BizSpark Program and be entitled to a fast-track interview for the Cyberport Creative Micro Fund (CCMF) or Cyberport Incubation Program.
“Hong Kong’s future depends on maximizing the potential of the next-generation and SmarTone Hackathon is the ideal platform to identify and nurture the brightest and best from Hong Kong’s budding technology talent pool,” SmarTone CEO Anna Yip said.
“It is essential we foster the creativity and enthusiasm of the younger generation and events like the hackathon can serve to ignite their innovative thinking to fulfill Hong Kong’s smart city ambition.”
The event was announced in August, and co-sponsored by Sun Hung Kai Properties and SUNeVision as well as Microsoft and Samsung. The hackathon attracted 120 participants.
Questions & Answers
Q.What kind of solutions did the winning teams develop?
What kind of solutions did the winning teams develop?
The winning team, Prodict, created a predictive maintenance solution for utilities using sensor data and machine learning. The runner-up developed a virtual guidebook with augmented reality, and the third place team created an IoT-based property management solution.
Q.What prizes did the winning teams receive for their participation?
What prizes did the winning teams receive for their participation?
The top three teams shared cash prizes of HK$50,000, HK$30,000, and HK$20,000 respectively, along with new devices from Samsung. The winners also gained access to the Microsoft BizSpark Program and a fast-track interview.
Q.What was the purpose of SmarTone hosting this hackathon?
What was the purpose of SmarTone hosting this hackathon?
SmarTone CEO Anna Yip stated the hackathon aims to identify and nurture Hong Kong's technology talent. It fosters creativity and innovative thinking among the younger generation to support the city's smart city ambitions.
Q.Which other companies were involved in sponsoring the hackathon event?
Which other companies were involved in sponsoring the hackathon event?
The hackathon was co-sponsored by Sun Hung Kai Properties and SUNeVision. Microsoft and Samsung also provided sponsorship for the event, alongside SmarTone.