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Winners of the Spring 2011 U-M Mobile Apps Challenge

The Spring 2011 Mobile Apps Challenge promoted entrepreneurial thinking and encouraged the U-M community to develop innovative mobile applications. U-M students, faculty and staff entered more than 18 apps in three platform categories: iPhone, Android and Web applications.

Winning App - Ask Messaging

Kimberly Hunter, an undergraduate student in Computer Science, and her colleagues developed ASK Messaging. ASK Messaging is an iPad application for sending and receiving both text and email messages developed for users with fine motor control disabilities or vision impairment.

For example, users with Cerebral Palsy or traumatic brain injuries have extreme difficulties trying to target the small keyboard buttons on touch-screens, which prevents them from being able to type or use normal touch screen apps. The application offers a unique "scanning interface" that allows such users to easily compose messages using a custom keyboard, select and read messages in their inbox, and navigate menus without requiring precise on-screen touches. ASK Messaging allows people to regain the independence in communication that they have been lacking due to their physical conditions.

Contest Results

Winner - Overall

Name App Demo & Description Platform & Category
Kimberly Hunter ASK Messaging
  • Messaging System for users with fine motor control disabilities. ASK Messaging offers a unique "scanning interface" that allows users to easily compose messages using a custom keyboard, select and read messages in their inbox, and navigate menus without requiring precise on-screen touches.
 iOS

Health, Fitness, Medical

Android Winner

Name App Demo & Description Platform & Category
Andrew Sapperstein Communicate
  • A real-time translator, allowing communication with someone who does not speak the same language as you.
 Android

Productivity/Tools

Mobile Web Winner

Name App Demo & Description Platform & Category
Carl Anderson Epiphany
  • Epiphany helps students organize study groups or "meetups" based on their location. Students can quickly and easily find nearby study groups and add new meetups.
 Mobile Web

Social, Lifestyle

1st Runner-Up

Name App Demo & Description Platform & Category
Brian Atz intelli-Diet for iPhone
  • intelli-Diet is a simple-to-use meal planning app that tells you when and what to eat to reach your weight loss goals, crafts customized meal plans, and generates shopping lists. You can also email the printer-friendly shopping list, which will make sure you only purchase the right foods.
 iOS

Health, Fitness, Medica

Runners-Up

Name App Demo & Description Platform & Category
Christopher Best 3dssApp
  • A mobile app implementing some primary features of 3DSSPP (.org), an ergonomic job safety analysis program.
 Android

Health, Fitness, Medical
Alexander Haefner Draw With Me
  • Draw With Me is an app for the iPad that allows for an instantaneous, interactive drawing experience over Wifi or 3G.
 iOS

Social, Lifestyle
Zev Youra Dodac Tiler
  • An educational game for elementary and middle school aged players, the math-based gameplay turns rote exercises into a fun puzzle that helps the player internalize basic math operations.
 iOS

Education, Reference
Hung Truong Mapskrieg
  • Mapskrieg displays Craigslist apartment listings on a map, allowing users to filter by price and number of bedrooms.
 iOS

Productivity, Tools

Sponsors:
The competition was sponsored by Apple, Inc., Computer Science and Engineering, Google, Information and Technology Services, Microsoft and Technology Transfer.

Sunday, May 1, 2011