Two boys aged eight and nine have created an award-winning, international mobile phone app - using an online tool developed with the aid of University of Derby expertise.
William Colglazier, aged nine, and Alexander Glidden, eight, from the USA, received a 'Global Entrepreneur Award' for their mobile app(lication), which draws together publicly available data - events guides, transport timetables, restaurant ratings, etc - onto one phone screen. It's thought the @Me-on-the-Move app (which could be used in Europe, North America and Africa) would be particularly useful to tourists.
The boys developed the app using a new online app generation tool created by the 'Citadel on the Move' project, and contributed to by University of Derby researcher Dr Michael Winsper, and its Professor of Supply Chain and Logistics Ming Lim.
The University is a partner in Citadel on the Move, a European Commission-funded project making it easier for EU citizens to access open (or publicly available) data to create mobile phone apps.
William and Alexander were awarded their 'Global Entrepreneur Award' - from Citadel on the Move and the Linked Organization of Local Authorities (an international association of local authority professionals working in information technology) - at the three-day Data Days 2014 Conference in Ghent, Belgium, which ends today (February 19).
The two boys intend donating their award prize money to help a South African township school buy computers.
William said: "The hardest part about making the app was getting the data. When I first asked for Open Data at my Town Hall the lady really didn't understand what I was talking about."
University of Derby researcher Dr Winsper added: "The work we're doing at the University and as a Citadel on the Move partner is helping talented young people, even those as young as William and Alex, to develop technology of benefit to people around the globe."
A demonstration model of William and Alex's app and similar ones can be found at website: www.citadelonthemove.eu
For further information about research and innovation at Derby Business School, at the University of Derby, see website www.derby.ac.uk/dbs