Google announces Project 10^100 themes

Google has finally whittled down the more than 150,000 ideas submitted as part of its Project 10^100 to 16 themes that will compete for $10 million in funding.

It's taken far longer than Google had originally anticipated, but the results of the company's 10th anniversary project to solicit ideas that could change the world are ready for inspection. Google is asking the public to vote on the most worthy of the 16 "idea themes" that it has identified from the submissions it has received over the past year.

Google had originally planned to choose individual ideas, but was "overwhelmed" by the number of submissions, which took 3,000 employees to properly vet, according to Google spokesman Jamie Yood. In addition, many of the ideas were extremely similar or overlapping, so Google decided to emphasize project categories that resonated with the company, rather than individual ideas.

Some of those themes, and Google's comments on those ideas, follow below:

• Enhance science and engineering education: "Users from many countries agreed that encouraging science education was an ideal way to (ensure) the brightest future for technology development itself."

• Create more efficient landmine removal programs: "Fund global organizations that are developing efficient strategies for landmine detection and removal...Numerous suggestions for this topic include robotic, human, and animal-facilitated detection strategies."

• Create real-time natural-crisis tracking system: "Make rapid-response crisis-mapping data available to help policymakers better coordinate response efforts during hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters."

• Work toward more socially conscious tax policies: "Fund the most promising efforts to make the tax system more transparent and better at supporting societal sustainability and development...User ideas in this category highlight tax policy as a perhaps surprisingly fertile area in which intelligent, data-driven analysis could make a huge difference in the effectiveness of the public sector."

Now that the themes have been chosen, Google is asking the public to vote on the best ideas, the results of which will be submitted to a committee that will pick up to five ideas for funding. Google will undertake a RFP (request for proposal) process in order to solicit companies or organizations that can implement the chosen ideas, and those groups will receive the money.

Voting ends on October 8.

[Rod Roddy]

Wow, it's 8:15pm Pacific standard time.....I'm the first post. Kinda makes you wonder 'bout the excitement surrounding this article.

[Nick.Kentros]

Wow, it's 1:09 am Central Standard time....I'm the second post. Kinda makes you wonder 'bout the excitement surrounding this article.


I guess it's a subtle plot for google to continue to take over the world

[scifidaddyo]

What shall we do next Brain?
>>Try to take over the WORLD!!

I go to the Google Search page many times each day. In the past year, i don't even recall seeing this as a link on their search page. Makes me sad. I've got plenty of ideas that would have been fun to submit.

i hate you google

[micahdunning]

I have to hand it to Google for covering so many bases since they just started out as a search engine. Google may not take over the world, but their ambition probably could. Props Google.

[Aleksandar_Sarovic]

Although all the ideas Google groups would somewhat change the world and bring some benefit to people I think Google has highly regretted the competition and finally chose ideas which don?t disturb capitalism. The ideas that would really make an impact must be political and Google has not even created such a group. I believe my idea troubled Google. You may find it here http://www.sarovic.com/google_project.htm.
Even if my idea is wrong which it is not, it could still open the door to the new way of thinking. In today?s world, NOT ONE idea exists about what comes after capitalism. My idea clearly presents what will come next. One day it will change the world and make it a wonderful place to be. Google still likes capitalism much more than a good world.

Aleksandar Sarovic
www.sarovic.com

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

At first I wanted to insult and ridicule your idea, but realized that it is simply the "psuedo anonymity" of the internet that make us rude and uncaring.

I don't know you, but I found your Google idea deeply disturbing. I honestly think that they (Google) felt the same way. I think you are trying to fill a void that is within you, and even though you are most likely an atheist I will pray for you to find that missing piece in your being.

[heygeo]

LOL... i always wondered how Google gets their "innovation".. you submit it.. you vote for it.. they take credit for it :P

[j_a_s_p_e_r]

OK let me get this straight 150 000 IDEAS and 3 000 EMPLOYEES. hahaha, thats just 50 each. What did they do the rest of the day.?

[attoman]

Google had us submit ideas and a 30 second video. This was a difficult and in our class of real world transportation/energy solution expensive in resources. We expected as a minimum that a body of proposals with their videos would be selected for review. Some chance of exposure as a later stage competitor for selection would have been possible.
INSTEAD we have a mushy toothless conflation of almost unrecognizable sources into Google Ideas- Google needs to be renamed after this abuse how about GAGGLE or given their willingness to ground up others ideas WITHOUT attribution, GOBBLE?

[YvesdR]

What a joke !
On top of their very bad communication and challenge management, Google has a curious opinion on what will change and improve the world.
There were different categories and it seems that only one has been retained (social, education).
I'm now convinced that this game was setup by Google to grab ideas for free and take patents and make business.
As an example, I've submitted the Energy meter at the beginning of the game and 4 months later the Google Power meter was published with exactly the same features.
Very sad.

[danvidakovich]

My idea made the top 16 and I?m very proud to say we?ve been actively lobbying congress and the local university to make it happen ? free online college. Although the University of Illinois seriously tanked it?s attempt at an online university, we?ve been in contact with the new head Nick Burbules. We pitched the idea to him last April to make the Global Campus free supported by appropriate advertising and microtransactions similar to flatworldknowledge.com and if this idea wins the prize the funding could help get the ball rolling.
The is an absolute amazing step in the right direction and we need all the help we can get. Please contact me [e-mail]
www.freewebcollege.org

[stockyjoe]

You think "big" money schools will like the idea...not. Dont get me wrong. Education is the way to improvment and it shouldnt be so damn expensive for people to get a higher education. When a semester of school can cost 10,000 to 20,000+ (excluding room and board) you have to start questioning where the expenses are coming from and where they go. Universities these days are about money and name recognition.

[pentest]

MIT offering course materials online for free to anyone is about as close as it is going to get. Access to the instructors for free will never, ever happen.

[mrcockrell]

google probably stole my vapoorize idea too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpads8s5mik&feature=related

[Peterworld]

I believe that in voting Google Project 10 100 the item: "Make educational content available online for free" is very important for a better world (in all areas of knowledge).
A small part of this knowledge is included in this project Google Body 10 100 / i^5 body 10 100 project.
Look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ExukGyN-bg one
Thank you

[Peterworld]

I´m sorry, this is the link of Google body 10 100 project (without one) or click in my name...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ExukGyN-bg
Thanks

[YvesdR]

My previous post was removed. Why ?
How Google has changed the contest rules:
When I've submitted my proposal, I've made a pdf copy of the rules and the FAQ.
They obviously have removed the paragraph related to the pickup of 100 ideas and the vote on the 20 best ideas (public vote) and finally the selection of the 5 very best ideas by a comitee.
Now they have decided to directly select themselves 16 ideas.
It's a shame to change the rules during a contest !

[YvesdR]

My fault, sorry the post was not removed.

[cnetRajja]

Hi Friends,
My idea "Virtual World" is selected.
Please vote for it to make it real!
http://googleproject10tothe100th.blogspot.com/2008/10/google-project-10100-idea-virtual-world.html

Thank you.. :)

[cnetRajja]

Hi Friends,
My idea "Virtual World" is selected.
Please vote for it to make it real!
http://googleproject10tothe100th.blogspot.com/2008/10/google-project-10100-idea-virtual-world.html

Thank you.. :)

[nthorwir]

This started out as a great idea met with enthusiastic responses. I find it disappointing that the opportunity has been lost to use the masses to identify a workable solution and instead merge them into problems without presenting solutions.

[fundamentaldesign]

There is one category that does provide a working solution to one of the world's more vexing problems. That is the electric vehicle for all in the transportation category. It is a massive opportunity to significantly reduce global warming and is the only category that, if chosen, provides a piece of hardware that people can use in their daily lives that's not just a computer application.

[joeinolympia]

Dear Google,

So maybe I did not get the memo. But what happened to the original
guidelines that you GOOGLE put out for all of us to follow ? You know the
original 10 to the 100th project google contest to help the world. I
feel like I entered a different contest. Where on earth did you get 16
idea's out of 100 ? For us to vote on.

Looking at the 16 idea's there is not one that will or can be done for
$10,000,000.00 or help more than a few 1000 if even that. I really
missed the boat on this one. Or did you?

It appears to me that this project went sideways on you. I see you have
tried to save it, but come on really. Will any of the 16 really help the
most people in the world ? I really do not think so.

If you get time, now that you have started and ended a new project, Maybe
you can send me a email and explain to me where the original memo went or
the first 10 to the 100th project.

I assume you will get many emails of this type perhaps you can just make a
press release as to what happened and tell everyone why you changed the
contest into something that will never work.

[Goodle_4u]

I found this somewhere on the net, it gave me a lift in my disappointment in Google.
Google was one of my heroes, but if this statement is in any form true, then they are and would be my all time fave.


?Too all you who have submitted to account for,

Should all whom who wanted to help, whom wanted to be help,
Theoretically, you all did contribute to help change, to help develop, to help in this interlink systematical process in collaboration to the project.

You whom shall receive a 10,000.00$ dividend,
Among all whom that submitted?.