A*STAR’s Star Challenge Updates and White Paper
It looks like the deadline for the competition registration has been extended; originally February 29th, now, registration closes on March 31st. Perhaps they couldn’t find enough good teams to make this an exciting show? 
But never mind that. More details of the search tasks are now available in a recently released white paper. There are two broad categories, each with three subtasks:
Audio (Voice) search tasks:
- Search by International Phonetic Alphabet
- Search by voice example (of a given word/phrase/sentence)
- Search for recurrent voice segments
Video search tasks:
- Search by a single query image
- Search by video shot
- Scene/event categorization
The initial knockout and subsequent qualifying rounds will consist of some combination of the above tasks, on various databases, both monolingual and multilingual.
The preliminary schedule is given in the white paper as well. A summary:
- Registration deadline: March 31
- 1st knockout round: May 4-15
- 2nd knockout round: June 4-20
- 3rd knockout round: July 4-20
- Qualifying race: August 20-23
- Grand final: October 23
Since it’s already been stated that the grand final will take place during Fusionopolis opening week, we now know when the official opening of Fusionopolis will be taking place as well (assuming the schedule has been fixed). Mark your calendars!
March 7, 2008 at 4:00 am
I think it may have something to do with the recent NLB thingy. I know at least one group who is boycotting this whole event and I think others. From what I gather they are waiting for the list of the 100 to come out, then another slew will follow. I believe it is because they claim out of the 11 mentioned, not a single one of them is an anon blogger and since they regularly develop 90% of their solution from anon people. They dont consider it fair. Even I have been told to stop. All work stop.
Why cant some people just let it slide. They take it way too serious. I believe once the rest of the 100 list comes out from NLB we will be in a better position. But not before. The problem is will they be satisfied?
March 7, 2008 at 5:05 am
What’s NLB gotta do with it? They’re not involved in the Star Challenge at all.
March 7, 2008 at 7:48 am
Whats NBL got to do with it? I think a whole lot. Many of these developers are vain and conceited people, they are like Jpop stars, so if only fatties like colin goh are going to make it, then they will go somewhere else I think, dun blame them actually whats the point of working your ass off and sharing 100k with 10 ppl only to be outdun by someone who only updates his blog once every 2 months?
NLB has everything to do with it.
March 7, 2008 at 7:50 am
They screw it all up, nice and proper. No one in their right mind is going to participate in this win the prize and be forgotten, if being forgotten is part of the deal, then who the hell is going to do it for 100K and share it with 15 other developers, must be kidding me. I rather play xbox.
March 7, 2008 at 1:59 pm
We’re talking about the same thing, yeah? Search algorithmn R&D contest involving mathematics, imaging and voice processing, computer science? What’s it got to do with blogging and the NLB?
March 8, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Do u who I am. I am darkness. “We’re talking about the same thing, yeah.” Yes. One of the same reality. I have tried to mobilize my horde, but they are a stubborn lot. Much damage has been done by NLB, more than I can possibly recount.
Listen to me, do you want to be rich? Use the turk, do you know it? There is a flaw in the alog / reverse it - good luck, this is all I can offer you, let us wait.
I am Darkness, you dear unfortunate. Bringer of bad news, no one will join this project.
March 8, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Whatever, dude.
Grapes too sour, eh?
March 8, 2008 at 7:01 pm
They reap what they sow - remember the turk - do you reverse it?
It’s simple, it really is ( the Y / exponential - Z) now go.
Our tribe wants nothing to do with this.
March 9, 2008 at 5:14 am
Labrat, I dont think that was very nice of you. You asked a question, he came out and gave you an answer. Besides it’s based on a volunteer basis. I dont think there is anything wrong if I and my team decide to play xbox instead of participate in this. No one can force me to do anything I do not wish to do willingly. As for this NLB matter, if you think it is not important, then it is not important to you and perhaps a few. It remains however very important to us and I hope that you can have the understanding to respect that.
March 9, 2008 at 8:57 am
Me not being nice? I ask for clarifications about what the National Library Board has to do with the Star Challenge, all I get are some smug and coy comments, and I’m not being nice?
Let’s take the first comment:
“From what I gather they are waiting for the list of the 100 to come out, then another slew will follow. I believe it is because they claim out of the 11 mentioned, not a single one of them is an anon blogger and since they regularly develop 90% of their solution from anon people.”
What list of 100? Can someone explain what is this “list of the 100″? 100 teams participating in the Star Challenge? What are the “11 mentioned”? As far as I know, there has been no announcement of how many teams have signed up for this yet. And what does blogging anonymity have to do with working on search algorithms?
With a prize money of 100k, the organisers are looking to attract mostly research groups, some international, in academia. No one’s forcing anyone to participate in this.
May 2, 2008 at 8:52 am
These people seemed confused. I also can’t see the correlation between NLB and the Star challenge. O.o