Innovative mobile phone apps created at the UM3D Lab in the Digital Media Commons took the top two places in the Fall 2012 Mobile Apps Challenge.
The first-place winner, PainTrek, allows users suffering from headaches to easily track the location and severity of the pain by interacting with a three-dimensional image of the head.
The tracking of specific pain over time helps users communicate more effectively with their medical professionals. It was produced by Alexandre DaSilva, an assistant professor of prosthodontics in the Biologic & Materials Sciences Department at the School of Dentistry.
PictureIt, the second-place winner, produces a virtual experience of reading text on ancient papyrus. To aid readers unfamiliar with ancient languages, the app provides immediate translations, with explanatory notes.
It was produced by Arthur Verhoogt, an associate professor of papyrology and Greek in the Department of Classical Studies, LSA.
The fall Mobile Apps Challenge promoted entrepreneurial thinking and encouraged U-M developers to create innovative mobile designs. U-M students, faculty and staff submitted a diverse collection of medical apps, games, educational apps, plus apps relating to health and lifestyle.
Other winning apps included these:
• PhotoSocial — Jeff Bargmann, a graduate student in the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, created an app that allows iOS users to more easily organize and share photos.
• That Translation Game — Johnathon Beals, instructional learning staff member at the Language Resource Center, developed a game-show-styled iPad app where users compete to produce and defend a translation.
Visit the Mobile Apps Center (mobileapps.its.umich.edu/content/winners-fall-2012-u-m-mobile-apps-challenge) for a complete list of the winners, plus video demonstrations of the winning apps.
The deadline for submitting apps for the spring Mobile Apps Challenge is April 22. Check out the details here: mobileapps.its.umich.edu/content/announcing-spring-2013-mobile-apps-challenge
