As part of its Build 2017 developer conference, Microsoft gave out its first Windows Developer Awards. Now, the tech giant has revealed the award winners, showing off a cadre of exceptional Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps that have been built and published in the Windows Store over the past year.
The awards covered four main categories, each of which was picked by the developer community. Here's a look at each, along with its winner, from Microsoft:
- App Creator of the Year: djay Pro - Algoriddim's award-winning DJ application with over 30 million downloads is now on Windows. djay Pro provides a complete toolkit for DJs of all skill levels with features built specifically for Windows 10 including: touch + desktop devices, optimization for Surface Studio's PixelSense Display, location aware capabilities for Surface Dial, support for over 60 MIDI controllers by Pioneer DJ, Numark, Reloop, Denon, Hercules, and much more.
- Game Creator of the Year: Astroneer - Astroneer is set during a 25th century gold rush where players must explore the frontiers of outer space, risking their lives and resources in harsh environments for the chance of striking it rich. On this adventure, a player's most useful tool is their ability to shape their world, altering the terrain and extracting valuable resources from planets, and moons.
- Reality Mixer of the Year: MyLab - MyLab is an educational tool that lets users explore an interactive periodic table of the elements using the power of holograms. Spawn atoms, view their structures, and explore similarities and differences between different elements.
- Core Maker of the Year: Nova Underwater ROV - This underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is run by Raspberry PI 3 with Windows 10 IoT Core controlled from a UWP app connected to motor controllers, servos and sensors. The core's network switch services the Raspberry PI 3 and cameras. The robot is controlled using an Xbox controller via a power/network tether which runs through and out of the water to a control station on the surface.
On top of the above, Microsoft also gave out a "Ninja Cat of the Year" award, picked by the Windows team at Microsoft itself. In short, this award is meant to highlight "the developer or experience that we believe most reflects what Windows is all about," Microsoft says. This award went out to Kophosight, a HoloLens app that translates spoken word to sign language in an effort to "make everyday life better for the deaf."
