Question:
Team Members Full Names:
Answer:
Adrian Buzgar
Calin Juravle
Andreas Resios
Question:
Mentor:
Answer:
Dr. Sabin Buraga
Question:
Title of Project:
Answer:
UpCity
Question:
Project Overview:
Answer:
Our project, UpCity, is a collaborative platform that proposes a partnership for the development of communities (e.g., cities), by engaging citizens and authorities to collaborate in solving the issues they are facing. UpCity raises awareness when an issue is identified, allows the entire community to comment and assess relevancy, and then improves the flow of information between interested parties until a solution is chosen, applied, and finally reassessed through feedback, so that on a grander scale effective solutions become easier to replicate. Information is presented based on geographic context, on a real-time global map. Based on the interaction within one community (e.g., positive/negative feedback), a composite index is computed, CityRank, to help promote a constructive competition between communities.
Question:
Technology/Software Used:
Answer:
.NET Framework 3.5, Visual Studio Team System 2008, Windows Mobile SDK, .NET Compact Framework, Microsoft Silverlight, Microsoft DeepZoom, Windows Communication Foundation,
SQL Server 2008, Team Foundation Server 2008,
Live Services (Virtual Earth, LiveID), Map Services (OpenStreetMaps), Internet Information Services
Question:
Inspiration: What inspired your team to enter the Microsoft Imagine Cup and why did you choose the Software Design competition?
Answer:
Having participated in the now discontinued Project Hoshimi competition, we decided to shift our attention to Software Design based on our previous experience with Microsoft technologies.
Question:
Team History: How did your team meet?
Answer:
We have been faculty colleagues and have previously worked together on a number of projects. Imagine Cup gave us the chance to share our vision with others and to consolidate our friendship.
Question:
Team Experience: What experience did your team have with Software Design before competing in the Imagine Cup?
Answer:
We have strong skills in programming and software engineering, gained during faculty and our first master's year. All of us have worked on small-to-medium projects involving Microsoft technologies.
Question:
Highlights: What has been the best part of the Imagine Cup competition to date?
Answer:
The fun and the challenge of working together on a complex software project and the excitement of seeing our ideas come to life.
Question:
Inspiration: How did your team come up with your submission? Include which Millennium Development Goal inspired your solution.
Answer:
With this year's theme in mind, as well as the eight Millennium Development Goals, our team has sought those key ingredients that would make a project successful in aiding with the solving of the problems confronting the world. Our solution involves people, both those facing the problems, as well as those who can come up with actual solutions, to communicate and cooperate for the good of all. We focused on the goals of developing a sustainable partnership for development and of improving access to education for women and children.
Question:
Challenges: What personal or technological challenges did your team face while developing your submission?
Answer:
We've had some trouble linking established technologies from the .NET platform to still maturing technologies like Silverlight.
Question:
Future Plans: What does your team plan on doing after the Worldwide Finals in Cairo, Egypt? Do you plan to use your project to launch a new business?
Answer:
We've begun discussions with our local City Council to implement our solution. We also hope to enter the BizSpark program.
Question:
Links to more information (i.e. website, blog):
Answer:
http://upcity.wordpress.com/
http://twitter.com/upcity