NZ Winners - Their Journey
Team Phoenix - 2008 Winning team created a taxibus simulation to demonstrate the environmental benefits of this new form of public transport.
The 2008 competition theme was: "technology that creates a more sustainable
environement."
The Team's Thoughts...
Current solutions to transport problems such as congestion and pollution are not ideal, as they do not solve the underlying issues at hand. While cars are convenient, they are the major causes of congestion and pollution. People already know about the issues associated with cars, and so it's not enough to simply educate them. Buses are not convenient, as they can only be taken along specific routes at scheduled times, and during offpeak times they are often empty.
We propose a new form of public transport - taxibuses. This form of transportation would provide the convenience of a car - while providing environmental benefits similar to that of a bus (i.e. the concept of 'carpooling').
People would use the taxibus service through their cellphones; one would simply text their ride requests, and within minutes, a vehicle would arrive to pick the passenger up and take them to their chosen destination.
Taxibuses allow people to share rides in an effortless manner, which means that the financial cost of a ride, and the amount of congestion and pollution resulting from a ride would be distributed among a number of passengers. This provides environmental benefits over using cars.
We are building the underlying functionality that determines which taxibuses pick up which people, and providing a simulation to demonstrate the feasibility of our idea.
Winning The NZ Finals
NZ Team in Paris, France
The NZ Team missed out this year on making the top 12, but had a great experience
meeting and networking with over 60 other teams from all over the world. The
team also had the opportunity to experience all of the great
things Paris and France had to offer. One day at Euro Disney, another day exploring the great sights of the city.
The Imagine Cup Crew planned an entire week of exciting tours and meetings at all the famous venues including
The Lourve where
the showcase of the World Wide Finals Competition was held.
NOW IT'S YOUR TIME TO GIVE IT AGO!!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the dates?
A: Registration for the competition closes 31st March 2009.
Q: I want to participate but don’t know anyone else that is interested. What should I do?
A: If you are interested to enter the competition but do not know anyone else who wants to form a team, you should register for the competition first of all and then the NZ Imagine Cup team will help you find others and to form a team.
Q: My knowledge on programming and software design is very limited. What should I do?
A: You do not have to be a hardcore programmer as Imagine Cup teams are usually made up from students with different technical, sales, marketing and presenting skills. A successful team should have a good balance of students with different backgrounds and skills.
Q: Where can I see previous NZ entries for Imagine Cup?
A: You can find detailed information on last year’s projects under
Resources
Q: Where can I get relevant learning resources to help me better understand Microsoft technologies?
A: Students who register on Imagine Cup can get access to Microsoft e-learning Courses. Plus there are several technology groups which can help you learn Microsoft technologies.
Q: Who assigns us the academic mentor?
A: Each team will need to find their own academic mentor.
Q: What is the theme for the next year?
A: The theme for Imagine Cup is the same for the next three years.
Q: When does the first round of competition presentations start?
A: In early April 2009
Q: Once I have registered, what do I do next?
A: The NZ Imagine Cup team will get in contact with you after you have registered to start working with your team to assign mentors. If you have not been contacted then email the team at
icnz@microsoft.com
Q: How do I compete with the other categories besides Software Design?
A: Imagine Cup has 8 other categories. Students can compete in any category, but compete online with teams across the world. i.e. Photography, Short Film, Design, IT Challenge, Mash Up, Gaming, Embedded, Robotics.
Q: Can I use the same project to take part in more than one category?
A: Yes, as long as they meet the requirements of each category.
Q: Does Microsoft own the IP for the solutions each student team creates?
A: No. The applications belong to the teams that created them. In fact, many teams go on to pursue commercial endeavours with their applications.
Q: Can I use old projects as the foundation for an Imagine Cup competition submission?
A: Yes, you can take old projects or projects you are working on right now and use this as an entry for the competition.
Q: Can I get support and advice about other categories ?
A: Local support for teams in other categories can be provided on request.
Q: Are there other categories to compete in?
A:Imagine Cup has 8 other categories – students can compete in any category, but compete online with teams across the world. i.e. Photography, Short Film, Design, IT Challenge, Mash Up, Gaming, Embedded, Robotics.
Q: Are there local prizes for the categories other then Software Design ?
A: If there are more then 20 NZ teams competiting in the other categories, the NZ Imagine Cup Team will connect with these teams for a local prize incentive (TBA).
Q: Can I take part in more then one category
A: Students are allowed to use the same project to take part in multiple categories as long as they meet the requirements, however students can't take part in multiple teams.
Q: Where do I go if I have more specific questions on the competition from a technical and rules perspective?
A:The best place to go to is the Imagine Cup 2009 Forum for Software Design -
http://imaginecup.com/Community/Forums/
Q:Where do I go if I have more questions on the local NZ software design final competition?
A:Contact your local Microsoft NZ Imagine Cup team -
icnz@microsoft.com
Q:When do I get assigned an industry mentor?
A:Once you have a team setup, contact your local Imagine Cup Admin Team at
icnz@microsoft.com. and they will assign you a mentor
Round 1 and 2 Presentations
Q: What is the expected dress code at all competition events?
A: You should wearing the Microsoft Imagine Cup t-shirts supplied to you or in semi-formal/business attire
Q: What is the presentation schedule at the competition?
A: This will involve between 15/20 minutes altogether excluding set-up time. You should be here at least 30 minutes prior to set up and prepare your demonstration. The
15/20 minute slot is divided into 12/15 minutes presentation & demonstration
plus 3/5 minutes Q&A.
Q: Can I use PowerPoint at the presentation?
A: YES, absolutely. Be creative and use whatever medium to communicate your idea. Don’t be restricted by traditional means of presentation. Be innovative in your presentation to express your innovative project idea.
Q: Who will be judging our project?
A: There will be a panel of judges (between 3-4) from Microsoft and industry reviewing each project.
Q: What should we cover in our presentation?
A: Each team will have only 12/15 minutes to get their project idea across to the panel of judges. Each team will need to prioritise on what are the key messages that needs to be communicated. You can assume that judges would have read your project overview and technical documents.
Q: What else do I have to prepare for the NZ SDI Final competition?
A: In addition to presenting to the judges at the competition, each finalist team will need to have an exhibition stand to showcase their project to invited guests from the industry, academia and media. Each team will need to design a full size banner poster (which Microsoft will print and produce) for the final competition showcase.
Q: Will I need to talk to media? If Yes, will I need to practice for interviews with media?
A: Yes, you will have this opportunity. And no, you will not need to practice. Just be yourself and express your views and ideas with the same enthusiasm and passion for your presentation.
Q: How can I stand out in the final competition?
A: Remember that this is a competition that is about utilizing your imagination to help solve real social issues. So ensure that your innovative solution is emphasized in your presentation. Most importantly, practice your presentation and demonstration countless times. Each team will have their moment on stage and it is during that time you will form your lasting impression with the judges. Never underestimate rehearsing your presentation from start to end without interruptions at least 2-3 times.
Q: Will there be a time keeper?
A: Yes, there will be a dedicated person which will keep track of time and also advise time remaining. If you do go over the allocated time, you will be asked to finish.
