[May 24, 2012] TCS Gets 'People's Choice' Award from U.S. National Science Foundation Tweet May 24, 2012 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), an IT services, consulting and business solutions firm, announced that a team of associates from TCS has won the "People's Choice" award at the ninth International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge with its interactive game called: "Velu the Welder." According to a May 21 release, the international challenge was jointly organised by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), publisher of the journal Science, to celebrate the grand tradition of visualization, specifically for communicating science, engineering, and technology for education and journalistic purposes. The TCS team developed an interactive game called "Velu the Welder" for personal computers and gaming consoles to help school drop-outs in India develop a highly marketable trade skill. The 2011 Challenge received over 200 entries from 33 countries in five categories, which were evaluated based on visual impact, effective communication of a scientific idea, and overall originality. Visualizations with the most votes from the public received the People's Choice award. This year for the first time participants were permitted to submit entries online, while the public was allowed to vote for its favourite images as "People's Choice" winners. The awards criteria was also based on the visual impact, originality and clarity. The entries weren't just limited to photographs. Contest categories also included illustrations, informational graphics, videos and even interactive video games. Ajoy Mukherjee, Executive Vice President and Head, Global Human Resources said, "The advancement of information technology tools combined with visualization and innovation enhances the effectiveness of learning especially in the area of vocational training."He added, "At TCS we try to foster a culture of innovation, create space and opportunities where individuals are able to bring fruition to their thoughts and ideas. The award winning interactive game "Velu the Welder," is one such example where TCSers have combined the power of visualization and technology to bring about an innovative learning method." A committee of members from Science and NSF screened the entries and, in a new departure this year, the selected finalists were posted on NSF's Web site and visitors were invited to vote for their top choice in each category. A total of 3,200 votes came in; entries that received the most votes were named the "People's Choice." Independently, an outside panel of experts in scientific visualization reviewed the finalists and selected the winners. Tata Consultancy Services generated consolidated revenues of US $10.17 billion for year ended 31 March and is listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange in India. More information: www.tcs.com ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]