Eighteen teams representing eight Dubai high schools took part in the first AppVision Competition hosted by the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD).

Organised by associate professors Dr Mohamed Watfa and Dr Kamal Jaafar, the competition called for students in grades 10, 11 and 12 to form teams of two to three people and develop an innovative idea for a new application for any smart phone or tablet device.

The teams were required to produce a poster providing a description of their App, the motivation behind it, and the expected target market for the design, as well as to pitch their ideas to the judging panel.

The teams entered the event and showcased a range of both practical and fun ideas, from health-related tools and edu-entertainment systems, to shopping aids and augmented reality applications.

The winning entry, ‘Life Simulator’ came from a team representing Our Own High School, Al Warqa’a. According to the team, the App will “change how people make decisions in everyday life”. The Life Simulator features an engine that predicts all possible outcomes of any given scenario.

Taking second place in the competition was ‘Naia’, designed by a team from the American International School. An action-based gaming App, Naia challenges users to take part in a test of survival, as humans are faced with adapting to life in an apocalyptic 31st century.

The top teams were awarded scholarships to attend UOWD in Autumn 2013, winners trophies and technology prizes. - TradeArabia News Service