e_Paper 1-12-2016

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016
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Team Icarus wins Digital Khichuri Challenge
• Mahadi Al Hasnat
“Onimikh” - an idea to help young
Bangladeshis who are seeking reflections
of their identity in modern
global culture won the Digital
Khichuri Challenge, a new media
and digital competition.
The idea pitched by Team
Icarus, one of the six main competitors,
was declared the winner and
was awarded with $7,500 by the organisers
yesterday.
The idea of the team was about
a digital world that embraces Bangladeshi
culture and heritage and
appeals to young Bangladeshis
seeking reflections of their identity
in modern global culture.
Abuzz that prevailed at the venue
of the Digital Khichuri Challenge
at Moar Coworking Event Space in
Banani for last three days came to
end yesterday.
The three-day competition,
the first of its kind competition in
South Asia, invited young Bangladeshis
to brainstorm to develop
new solutions and produce new
digital platforms using the existing
technologies.
The competition was co-sponsored
by Facebook and the United
Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), with support from Google
and organised by Affinis Labs and
Al Jazeera’s social media network.
The event came up as a platform
to help country’s youngsters
ICT State Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak snaps a selfie with the participants and organisers of the Digital Khichuri Challenge at
Moar Coworking Event Space in Banani, Dhaka yesterday
MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
to showcase their creativity and
innovation through creative storytelling
with ability to bring the rich
traditions of peaceful coexistence
under the spotlight.
A total of twenty-five young
Bangladeshis, ranging from social
entrepreneurs, programmers and
grassroots leaders to designers,
storytellers and students, have
competed in the specially designed
competition to develop the new
platforms which will promote diversity,
peace and tolerance in
Bangladesh.
“With it’s rich blend of lentils,
rice and spice, the magic of khichuri
comes from the balanced
combination of the right different
elements into one nourishing dish.
This is a tasty symbol that exemplifies
the strength of the diverse
Bangladeshi cultural landscape,
and we’ve named our event the
Digital Khichuri Challenge to encourage
creative Bangladeshis to
Participants at the Buet Robotics Society’s Robo Carnival calibrate their line-following robots ahead of a race yesterday at
Buet auditorium. The three-day carnival ends today with a showcase of industrial robots
SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
Robo-race for glory
• Tribune Desk
Lively seminars, thrilling robo race
and practice sessions of the two
big events – Industrial Automation
Challenge and Rescue Bot – were
the major attractions at the BRS
Robo Carnival yesterday, the second
day of the first-ever showcase
of such kind.
The three-day long BRS Robo
Carnival 2016 kicked off on Tuesday
evening at the Bangladesh University
of Engineering and Technology
(Buet) auditorium, with a
goal to familiarise and motivate
college and university students
across the country about robotics.
The morning session began yesterday
with Race for Glory – the
autonomous ground-wheeled line
follower robot-race. Twenty-two
teams from different universities
participated in the event.
There was also a workshop on
create unique stories and platforms,”
the organisers said at the
programme.
“Its Okay”- an idea by Team
Rhombus received $5000 for the
second place and “Banglawash”
by Team Nameless received $2500
third place.
The idea of “Its Okay” was to
build bridges between those struggling
with mental health issues and
the resources they need to heal by
allowing them to share stories, create
community, and connect with
experts.
On the other hand, “Banglawash”
was plan of a digital platform
designed to alleviate apathy
among Bangladeshi youth and increase
levels of empathy and solidarity.
State Minister for ICT Zunaid
Ahmed Palak awarded the winning
teams at the gala event yesterday.
The organisers will work closely
with the winning teams for at
least six months to provide mentorship
and access to stakeholder
networks and resources (where
needed), guide project business
development, and help successful
candidates generate publicity and
attract additional partners, investors
and allies.
“We had organised such programmes
in Manila three days ago,
in Indonesia in summer and in California
in spring. Such initiative
also took place in Kenya in August,
Jakarta in June, Jordan in January
and Abu Dhabi one and a half years
ago,” said Shahed Amanullah, the
co-founder and director of Affinis
Labs.
“This is the first of its kind in
South Asia, we have further plans
to encourage rural Bangladeshi
youths and engage them with such
initiative in the future so that they
can properly utilise inherent merit
and creativity,” he told the Dhaka
Tribune. •
Basic Robotics. The workshop was
only open for college students.
Around 220 robotics enthusiasts
from established Dhaka colleges
gathered for the workshop.
A seminar titled “Global Problem,
Local Solution” was conducted
in the afternoon by noted Bangladeshi
digital solution specialist
Gorky Sakhawat Sobhan, who is
the director of Monico Technologies.
The final part of the day kick
started the biggest events of the
fest – practice sessions for the Industrial
Automation Challenge
and Rescue Bot competitions. The
competitors had to come up with
solutions for real life issues using
automation technology.
The three-day-long carnival,
featuring 400 young talents from
all over the country, is being organised
by Buet Robotics Society
(BRS). The carnival ends today. •
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