Varun Kadle (MA in Animation for Computer Games), SM Imran HZ (MA in Animation for Computer Games), Shanaka Senevirathne (MSc in Games Development Software) and Mangala Kodagoda (MSc in Games Development Software) won the top prize in UK Sport's 2009 Ideas4innovation: New Researchers Award.

The panel of judges, including UK Sport’s Head of Research and Innovation, Dr Scott Drawer, Ideas4Innovation Project Manager Alison Macpherson and Olympic gold medallist Jason Queally, were so impressed with the project that full details are being closely guarded.

All that can be revealed is that the winning idea is based on the development of a tool to assist athletes in their preparation for performing at competition venues, providing a means for the athletes to familiarise themselves with their competition arena and all visual cues to assist strategy prior to competition day.
Varun Kadle said: “It is truly an honour to be recognised by Britain's elite sports governing organisation. This is the perfect reward for the team's hard work. I am very glad that the work and dedication of each team member has paid off so well.

"I hope that this project will eventually act as a very valuable tool, which can help the athletes achieve laurels. Receiving this grant has opened up new avenues and given the team enough support to make this a world class product."

Mangala Kodagoda added: "I am extremely happy that our work is being recognised and supported by UK Sport. This is a really good opportunity for us as university students to actually create something useful for athletes, and hopefully make their lives a little bit easier. The team is very excited about this and we're looking forward to doing our best to make this project a success."

Professor Steve Haake, Head of Sports Engineering at Sheffield Hallam, said: "The students were very quick to pick up on the needs of sport. They worked fantastically as a team, with two programmers and two animators producing a really polished piece of software. It obviously worked because not only did they get to the final but they won!"

Applications for the 2010 Ideas4Innovation Awards will open in November this year. For more information on the New Researchers Award for students or the Garage Innovators Award, please contact Alison.Macpherson@uksport.gov.uk