Top Taiwan hackers star at NASA Space Apps Challenge in Taipei

2018/10/24

The local edition of the 2018 NASA Space Apps Challenge wrapped up Oct. 21 at National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei City, with the two outperforming teams set for inclusion in the U.S. space agency’s global assessment of top hacking talent.
 
 Themed Earth and Space, the event encompassed such categories as exploring the Earth’s cryosphere, identifying what the Earth needs now and unlocking the beauty of the universe. A total 241 engineers, entrepreneurs and students took part in event staged over 48 hours in 211 cities worldwide.
 
 Winner of best team and first prize of NT$80,000 (US$2,582) was Light Wonder for “Go! Polar Bear!” Utilizing data generated by NASA initiatives like the Earth Science Data Systems, the online game enables players to better understand the difficulties faced by a polar bear as it struggles to adapt to global warming.
 
 Pipped at the post was Tabby Ranger, which pocketed second prize of NT$60,000 for a conceptual spaceship inspection drone. The creation operates on the basis of dynamic programming, gyroscope technology and swarming algorithms.
 
 Staged annually by NASA since 2012, the international hackathon requires coders and engineers to employ NASA data in developing hardware, software and innovative solutions to challenge categories. The second edition of the local event was organized by the American Institute in Taiwan in partnership with state-backed Institute for Information Industry, Taipei City Government and NTNU.
 
 According to organizers, the top projects will be reviewed by NASA experts, with the 30 winners invited to tour Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Last year, Taiwan’s Space Bar team won the hackathon’s global prize of Best Mission Concept for a landslide prediction, reporting and monitoring app.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=10&post=143845)