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Students and Experts Unveil Pioneering Computer Science Applications to Offer Real-life Solutions

A student works on her computer during lab.

Press Release

MedCare, a digital nurse application designed to remind the elderly about their medical intake, while also providing their emergency contacts with life-saving information for potential health problems, was ranked first at the NYU Abu Dhabi’s International Hackathon 2014 on Sunday night.

The winning team members were Saeed Al Mannaee (Khalifa University, UAE), Rashed Al Matar (Khalifa University, UAE), Yousef AlAhmedi (Khalifa University, UAE), Islam Alhusban (University of Science and Technology, Jordan), Mustafa Hammad (Khalifa University, UAE), and Abdallah Zoubir Ourad (Khalifa University, UAE). The winning team was granted the Liwa Ventures Social Impact Award of AED 6,000 by UAE-based incubator and venture capital firm Liwa Ventures. The winning mobile application creates easy ways to update a patient’s prescription requirements, such as barcode scanning, for patients who are unable to read and write. A help button also enables the patient to send a signal out to registered contacts when emergency support is needed.

Jedi, an SMS-based platform which enables small local businesses to instantly generate a web presence, was ranked second. Through an automated SMS-based form, users go through a series of simple steps, such as providing the name, slogan, and location of their business, in order to have a searchable webpage created to make their business information accessible.

WellSense, a cost-effective web and hardware solution for monitoring well pumps to benefit NGOs and local populations, came third.

Sana Odeh, affiliated professor of Computer Science at NYUAD, said: “To develop prototypes of computer applications in merely three days is no small feat. Yet, the students still managed to create innovative applications that tackled serious real-world issues. This is the third time we’ve held this event in Abu Dhabi, and we look forward to hosting future editions as the NYUAD Hackathon continues to develop into a vital platform to promote computer science innovation here in the region.”

Lead Technology Partner for Liwa Ventures Ibrahim Al Suwaidi noted: "It’s great to see so many bright entrepreneurs from the UAE and around the Arab world here in Abu Dhabi — a lot of the ideas for new products were innovative and relevant to local problems, so we're really pleased to support the entrepreneurs and NYUAD's efforts."

Organized by the NYUAD Institute, the International Hackathon event united more than 80 students from across the globe to work with mentors, develop and present innovative computer since applications, which were primarily geared toward tackling areas pertaining to the region throughout the three-day event.

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 115 countries and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.