And we have a winner! Andrew Sugaya of APX Labs took home the top prize - $10,000 – at the Qualcomm Uplinq hackathon this week.
Sugaya’s Android app, called “Life Sense,” allows you to wirelessly control a lightbulb based on your distance from the lamp or facial expression -- or the amount of light and temperature in the room. It won best Connected Home Experience, best app for Internet of Everything Development Platform and the Best Overall App.
Sugaya kicked off his demo by moving away from the lightbulbs and having them automatically turn off.
Next, he asked the judges to imagine that they were reading their smartphone in bed and fell asleep. When that happens, the app can tell when your eyes are closed and turn off the light. Sugaya built this feature using the Snapdragon SDK and demonstrated it on stage.
For his next trick, he wanted the color of the lightbulb to change with the temperature of the room (think new age mood lighting.) Using the Internet of Everything Development Platform, Sugaya programed the app to detect the temperature of his breath by blowing into the device. When he did so the light changed from red to blue.
He was also able to turn off the lights by covering the ambient light sensor (to simulate turning the lights off at night.)
The audience was very impressed and clearly so were the judges. We spoke to Sugaya after his big win:
So what’s your background?
I went to MIT for undergraduate and graduate school. My master’s thesis was predicting the future based on previous GPS locations—predicting where people might go. I’ve also done a lot of work with robotics, but I currently work in Virginia for a company that designs augmented reality.
How long did it take you to make this app?
A day. I started at 10:00 in the morning and finished at five in the afternoon. I built the app using the Gimbal SDK, Snapdragon SDK and the Internet of Everything Development Platform.
What smartphones do you use?
I’m currently using an iPhone 4s and my favorite Android device is a Motorola DROID RAZR HD.
The rest of the winners :
The Professional Sports Fan Experience — $5,000 cash plus 5 tickets to the Miami Dolphins vs. San Diego Chargers game, Nov. 17, Courtesy of the Miami Dolphins
Winning App: Futbar
App Description: Fudber is a realtime peer-to-peer in stadium food ordering system.
App Developer Team: theLIFT
Technologies used: AllJoyn Framework, Gimbal Platform, Qualcomm Vuforia
Health & Fitness — $5,000 cash plus gym bags and accessories
Winning App: Dr. Share
App Description: Patients can share their health data from Predictably Well's App with their doctor using the Dr. Share App and the 2Net platform.
App Developer Team: Predictably Well
Technologies used: 2Net Platform
Education App — $5,000 cash plus Common Sense Media's Digital Passport Gaming Platform for an entire elementary school of their choice for 1 year.
Winning App: Puzzle Up
App Description: Puzzle Up! is a multi-device puzzle game for kids interactive learning
Technologies used: AllJoyn Framework
Best Windows 8 App Bonus Prize—Wins Nokia device for each team member
Winning App: Country Explorer
App Description: Country Explorer enables you to elaborate your knowledge about different countries around the world by playing games, viewing photos, videos and articles.
Technologies used: AllJoyn Framework, Windows 8
