Contest Logs

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• 2020 Hackaday Prize Winners

  Lutetium • 11/16/2020 at 16:29 • 0 comments

  Best All Around ($50k)

  The BYTE

  
  

  Conservation X Labs

  Best ($10k)

  Solar Scare Mosquito 2.0

  Honorable Mention ($3k)

  UnifiedWater

  
  

  Field Ready 

  Best ($10k)

  UVA

  Honorable Mention ($3k)

  OpenFluidWarmer

  
  

  UCPLA 

  Best ($10k)

  Wearable, Soft Robotic Exoskeleton Gloves

  Honorable Mention ($3k)

  Magpie MIDI - An Adaptive MIDI/Interface Harmonica

  
  

  CalEarth 

  Best (10k)

  Propel-E 450 | A very powerful windturbine

  Honorable Mention ($3k)

  WinDIY - HAWT Wind turbine

  
  

  Wildcard ($5k)

  PolySense

• 2020 Hackaday Prize Finalists

  Lutetium • 09/09/2020 at 19:14 • 8 comments

  Congratulations to the 2020 Hackaday Prize Finalists!

  CalEarth

  Propel-E 450 | A very powerful windturbine

  WinDIY - HAWT Wind turbine

  Reflecting the sun into your home

  Libre Solar -Building Blocks for DC Energy Systems

  Low Cost NFT Hydroponic Garden (under $250)

  Lighting Color Control with Commodity Lamps

  Conservation X Labs

  Aquametric - Cellular based stream monitors

  Aruna - ROV

  Solar Scare Mosquito 2.0

  Intelligent Wildlife Species Detector

  UnifiedWater

  CBobby

  Field Ready

  UVA

  ResQ Search and Rescue Tools

  Photon

  UV Curing Chamber

  OpenFluidWarmer

  Collapsible UV LED Lamp

  UCPLA

  Hoverboards for Assistive Devices

  Open assistive robotic arm for meal

  RX-Modulus (Completely Modular Mouse)

  The BYTE

  Magpie MIDI - An Adaptive MIDI/Interface Harmonica

  Wearable, Soft Robotic Exoskeleton Gloves

  Wildcard 

  PolySense

  DIY hobby servos quadruped robot

  naminukas

  Sky Anchor WiFi Drone with AP brings the GIG

  SOLO, A Universal Motor Controller

  BlueRetro

  Arduino controlled photogrammetry 3D-scanner

  ARMAWATCH & ARMACHAT - long range radio messengers

  JBC soldering station

  DP Ventilator

  ---

  By 07:00 a.m. P.D.T. on October 5, 2020, each finalist must complete the
  following steps:

  
  i. Build a working prototype of your project.
  ii. Create a video, between two (2) minutes and five (5) minutes in length that shows
  a working prototype. The video should describe the challenge it addresses and
  demonstrate how it facilitates the solution. The video does not need to be “studio
  quality,” but it should “sell” the project to non-technical viewers. Upload the video
  to YouTube, Vimeo, or Youku and tag the video with the keyword: HackadayPrize. Add the video link to the “Contest Entry Videos” section of your Project Profile
  found by clicking “Edit Project”. Here is a graphic example of the video link
  submission section: https://goo.gl/qarDfo
  iii. Project Profile: On the Project Profile:
  a. Link to the video
  b. Post high-resolution photos of the project inside and out
  c. Update and add detail to information entered during the Entry Round
  d. Show at least ten (10) Project Log updates
  e. Post a components list that is complete with a bill of materials for one unit
  f. Post complete schematics and documented input and output requirements
  and specifications for your module/design

• Community Vote (Bootstrap) Winners

  Lutetium • 07/23/2020 at 01:47 • 14 comments

  Congratulations to our 2020 Hackaday Prize Community Vote (Bootstrap) winners! 

  Truly WiFi Extender
  ARMAWATCH & ARMACHAT - long range radio messengers
  DP Ventilator
  DIY hobby servos quadruped robot
  RX-Modulus (Completely Modular Mouse)
  BlueRetro
  Quadruped Robot Tsuki
  Open Exosuit for Differently Abled
  UVA
  PolySense
  PiCon One
  Agricoltura - IO
  Aquametric - Cellular based stream monitors
  Open Personal Assistant Robotic Platform
  BicycleCompanion
  F°LUEX
  WinDIY - HAWT Wind turbine
  Naminukas
  SOLO, A Universal Motor Controller
  UCPLA RGB Mood Expression Light Controller

• Dream Teams

  Lutetium • 07/02/2020 at 21:14 • 0 comments

  After a comprehensive selection process, we are proud to present our 2020 Dream Teams! Follow along each team's journey through their project pages linked here:

  Conservation X Labs

  Oluwatobi Oyinlola

  Embedded Systems Engineer and Inventor
  Nigeria, Ibadan

  Oluwatobi Oyinlola is an Experience Embedded Systems Engineer, Inventor, and IoT Evangelist. Recently he has been working in the avionics sector with rLoop Incorporated (a company sharing the dream of realizing the fifth mode of transportation initiated by Elon Musk, i.e. the Hyperloop). Oluwatobi was recognized as part of the Most Influential Young Nigerians Award.
  

  Erin "RobotGrrl" Kennedy

  Robotics and Digital Fabrication

  Canada, Ontario, Ottawa / Kingston

  Erin “RobotGrrl” Kennedy is the technical founder of Robot Missions, where she designed and developed a 3D printed robot to collect harmful plastic pollution on shorelines. Recently, she completed the Space Studies Program at International Space University - working with a team on Fast Transit to Mars, and furthering her interest in space robotics.

  Leonardo Ward

  Electronics Engineer and Technology Developer

  Venezuela, La Guaira, Catia La Mar

  Leonardo is an electronics engineer, designer and developer of future technologies: autonomous vehicles, robotics and medical devices. His experience includes working with electronic devices, cloud services, and remote communication. He looks forward to the day when robots are implemented everywhere and helping our planet.  
  

  CalEarth

  Sameera Chukkapalli

  Architect & Director of NeedLab
  Spain, Barcelona, Barcelona City

  As an advanced architect and director of Needlab (Barcelona, Spain), Sameera spends most of his time drafting human and environment-centered design solutions with communities around the world. Currently, he is driven towards solving the UN Sustainable development goals, and making sustainable design solutions available to all. 
  

  Jason Knight

  Product Designer
  Eindhoven, Netherlands, Eindhoven

  Jason is a product designer motivated by sustainability, whose experience includes computer aided design methods and plastic recycling. His interests also range across organic and biological fabrication and design techniques. 

  Alex Whittemore

  Electronics Engineer
  USA, California, Manhattan Beach

  Alex is an electronics engineer that specializes in taking vague ideas and making them into production-ready hardware. His expertise includes sensors, systems, connectivity, and design for manufacture. His favorite kinds of projects are the ones that involve hacking something together with nothing but a bunch of friends.
  

  Field Ready

  Antonio Anaya

  User-Centered Technology Design & Engineering
  

  Mexico, Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez

  Antonio joined his first MIT course at 24 during the MISTI-Global Startup Labs Mexico and works in both difficult and isolated areas of the country. His experience includes working for the US Embassy in Mexico, developing solutions and teaching programming, digital manufacturing, and collaborative work to indigenous middle school students. 
  

  Tom Hartley

  Innovation Design Engineering
  United Kingdom, London

  Tom is a design engineer with a computer science and electronics background, with experience in human-centered innovation design. His work seamlessly blends hardware, software, and design to look at problems in new ways. He studied Innovation Design Engineering at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London.
  

  Meesha Gupta

  Electrical Engineering

  USA, NY, Schenectady

  Meesha is an Electrical Engineering major and a Math minor who is passionate about solving real-world problems using technical skills. Her experience includes building prosthetic arms for children in need at the E-NABLE club, and and planning the creation of tools like microscopes out of LEGO bricks, Arduino boards, and other...

  Read more »

• Dream Team Grants

  Lutetium • 05/19/2020 at 02:51 • 0 comments

  We recognize it’s difficult to secure work in uncertain times. That’s why we have created a whole new category for the 2020 Hackaday Prize known as Dream Team Grants.

  Dream Team challenges represent an opportunity to join a three-person task force. We are essentially recruiting top talent for our nonprofit partners, to help them solve some of their most pressing challenges. Each dream team member will be awarded two $3,000 grants for their work throughout the months of June and July. 

  Apply individually, or as a team.

  Dream Team Applications Close EXTENDED to 6/9/2020 at 7 AM PT

  Dream Team Selections Announced 6/15/2020 

  Dream Team Sprint Ends 8/15/20

  Dream Team Challenges 

  In collaboration with each nonprofit we've developed challenges with a dynamic and dedicated three person team in mind. Applicants should apply to the challenge they feel best fits their skills, interests, and experience. 

  CalEarth

  Read more about CalEarth 

  Automated Options for SuperAdobe Building Processes: One potential drawback to the SuperAdobe system is that it’s a very laborious method of construction. The intensity of labor accounts for the vast majority of building expenses. 

  This challenge asks teams to automate or mechanize parts of the building process in order to maximize efficiency, and drive labor costs down, without compromising the integrity of CalEarth’s vision to ensure accessibility and affordability of the technology. 

  Full Design Brief 

  UCPLA

  Read more about UCPLA

  Universal Wireless Remote Control: As a result of the symptoms associated with cerebral palsy and other physical challenges, individuals are accustomed to interfaces like joysticks, touch pads, and remotes with large buttons. 

  Teams are tasked with designing a new type of universal remote that meets the needs of the physical challenges described, and integrates with modern electronics like smart TVs, workstations, and digital devices in as few steps as possible. 

  Full Design Brief 

  Field Ready

  Read more about Field Ready

  Remote Quality Control System: One of the big challenges of distributed manufacturing is widespread quality assurance. With so many solutions being designed, fabricated, and deployed by Field Ready, the organization wants to better ensure quality and accountability. 

  This challenge asks teams to design a means of quality control that remotely tracks and evaluates solutions, protects consumers, and ensures a roadmap for reporting and repair. 

  Full Design Brief

  Conservation X Labs

  Read more about Conservation X Labs

  Reducing Ghost Gear: Up to 10% of the world’s ocean plastic (and 70% of large pieces) comes from lost or abandoned fishing gear (nets, ropes, lines, pots). This poses a threat to large whales (the Red List estimates that 45% of all threatened marine mammals are impacted) and small crabs (NOAA estimates that there are 145,000 derelict crab pots still “fishing” in the Chesapeake Bay alone, killing over 3 million crabs a year). This problem is compounded in the developing world settings where fishing is less regulated. 

  This challenge seeks innovations that reduce “soak time” – the time that gear (pots or longlines) has to be left in the water unnecessarily, or deployment in undesirable locations, that increase the chances of snags, or loss. 

  This includes innovations that notify if the gear has been deployed in an undesirable location, or systems that communicate in a timely fashion to the fisher that the gear has moved location or the target species has been caught.

  Full Design Brief 

• Mentor Sessions

  Lutetium • 05/18/2020 at 19:34 • 0 comments

  Here's your chance to ask a professional mentor the hard questions about your Hackaday Prize entry...

  Let's get hacking! This year we've challenged you to take your Hackaday Prize entries to the next level, but we know prototyping isn't easy, especially in isolation. So we've created a space for you to ask one of our expert mentors questions about your entry. This is your opportunity to get one on one support and direct feedback, no matter what stage your project is in. The schedule will be updated every two weeks. 

  Space is limited so sign up today at: 

  Mentor Sessions Sign Up Form

  Mentor Bios:

  Catherine Hebson

  Engineer & Domestic US COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Field Ready

  Catherine Hebson is an engineer and maker. Most recently, she spent several years in early-stage product development at a medical device company. Her expertise lies in rapid prototyping and product ideation. Prior to that, she worked in a makerspace, designing workshop curriculum and teaching courses. 

  Mitch Altman

  Founder & CEO, Cornfield Electronics

  Mitch is the President and CEO of Cornfield Electronics and co-founder of the Noisebridge hackerspace in San Francisco. He also invented TV-B-Gone, co-founded a Silicon Valley startup, pioneered VR technology, is an author and teacher, and gives talks and workshops around the world. Mitch promotes hackerspaces, open source hardware, and mentors wherever he goes.

  Aragna Ker

  Adaptive Design Manager, United Cerebral Palsy LA

  A native of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aragna Ker was born in 1974. He received his BFA in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1999, and his MFA in Sculpture at Claremont Graduate University in 2004. He is currently the Adaptive Design Manager for United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles.

  Bruce Dominguez

  Rapid Prototyping Technician, Supplyframe DesignLab 

  Bruce is the Rapid Prototyping Technician at Supplyframe DesignLab. Prior to this, he managed the fabrications shops at Art Center and worked at CalTech’s Mechanical Engineering Lab, where he has advised on and helped to develop numerous engineering, research, and creative projects.

  Sophi Kravitz

  Director of Product, Hackaday

  Sophi Kravitz is an electrical engineer and artist. She works as Director of Product at Hackaday where she brings the hardware community closer together by building partnerships, creating experiences, and public speaking. Past projects include a wedding badge, a mini-blimp game, and playground rides.

  Erika Earl

  Audio Engineer, Hardware Developer, Evil Tech, inc & XR CREATIVE, inc.

  Contract Electrical Engineer, SupplyFrame Design Lab

  Erika is an Audio Engineer and Hardware Developer who is working on spatial, immersive and interactive ambisonic audio in the VR/XR space. Erika co-founded Earl Virtual Innovation Lab (EVIL Tech), and XR Creative. She is currently supporting the NASA JPL VITAL ventilator project with parts procurement, design for manufacture, and material requirement planning.

  Giovanni Salinas

  Product Development Engineer, DesignLab

  Giovanni is the Product Development Engineer at Supplyframe DesignLab. He has designed and developed hundreds of products, including consumer electronics, kitchenware, and urban furniture for a number of global markets. Through his experience he has honed his expertise in rapid prototyping and DFM in a variety of materials. 

  Sam Kelly

  Product Engineer & Conservation Technology Program Manager at Conservation X Labs

  Sam is an engineer dedicated to developing technological solutions to issues that have been underserved by the technical community. At Conservation X Labs, Sam helped establish the internal innovation foundry aiming to create ventures that are both beneficial for nature and economically viable, from idea to market.

  Eric Weinhoffer

  Lab Manager, Astranis

  Eric is a Mechanical Engineer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Eric leverages...

  Read more »

• FAQ

  Lutetium • 05/18/2020 at 15:31 • 0 comments

  The 2020 Hackaday Prize FAQ

  How do I enter?

  There is a drop down menu below your project image. Simply start a project and click the dropdown, from there you will see 2020 Hackaday Prize. Be sure to tag the challenge you will be addressing (CalEarth, Field Ready, UCPLA, Conservation X Labs, or Wildcard)

  What is considered an entry?

  Put simply, you need an idea, an image, and documentation. To start, choose a participating nonprofit’s open challenge to address, or talk about a technology problem facing people today and your idea of what a solution might be and enter it to the Wildcard Challenge. You have plenty of time to develop your idea before judging in October. 

  From your documentation, others should be able to build what you're working on, and incorporate the best ideas into their own projects. To be eligible for judging you must have project logs or instructions by August 31st.

  Those who prefer more constraints will excel in any Nonprofit Open Call Challenges. But everyone should enter the Wildcard Challenge too as it encourages you to plan well, working though problems before they become huge prototyping issues.

  What are the 2020 Hackaday Prize Challenges? When do they start/end?

  Choose to enter any of these five challenges. The entry period for all challenges starts May 19th and ends August 31st. 

  • CalEarth Open Call Challenge 
  • Field Ready Open Call Challenge 
  • UCPLA Open Call Challenge 
  • Conservation X Labs Open Call Challenge 
  • Wild Card Challenge 

  Can I enter the Hackaday Prize with a project that does not address any of the Nonprofit Open Call Challenges? 

  Yes you can, through the Wildcard Challenge. If you have not tagged any of the Nonprofit Open Call Challenges your project will automatically be considered a Wildcard Challenge entry. 

  What is the difference between the Open Call Challenges and the Dream Team Challenges? 

  Nonprofit Open Call Challenges

  In collaboration with each nonprofit partner we have developed Open Call challenges that range in complexity, theme, and difficulty. Submissions for these challenges will be accepted for the entirety of the campaign: from May 19th until August 31st, 2020. The top 100 finalists will be announced in September, and final judging will take place in October. These are the entries that will be eligible for the prizes in November. 

  Dream Team Challenges

  Dream Team challenges have been designed with a dedicated three person task force in mind. We invite engineers, designers, and hackers to apply to join one of these dream teams and put their skills to the test. Dream Team members will be awarded two $3,000 microgrants for the months of June and July for their work on one nonprofit’s challenge. Dream Teams must deliver a high fidelity working prototype, and DFM package by August 1st. If you are accepted as a Dream Team grantee, you will not be eligible to be a finalist in the 2020 Hackaday Prize.  

  If I am accepted as a Dream Team grant recipient, can I still win one of the prizes?   

  No, if you are accepted as a Dream Team participant, you are no longer eligible to be a finalist in the 2020 Hackaday Prize.  

  How do I see which projects have already been entered?

  Check out this full list of official entries.

  How much of my Project Profile will I be judged upon?

  All parts of your project will be judged. We recommend you start with a brief summary to provide an overall understanding of your project. From there, explain each part in detail, adding images and diagrams as needed. A video is only required for the final round, but if you want to make one to help walk through your project that is a great idea.

  Where do I submit my prize project entry video?

  On the Edit Project page add the link to your entry video in the Contest Entry Videos field and click save.

  What does "open" actually mean?

  Open refers to how much you have documented about your...

  Read more »

• ​The 2020 Hackaday Prize Official Contest Rules

  Lutetium • 05/18/2020 at 13:27 • 0 comments

  NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. ALL NATIONAL, FEDERAL, STATE, PROVINCIAL, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
  

  1. SPONSOR. The 2020 Hackaday Prize competition (the “Contest”) is sponsored by Supply Frame, Inc. (“Sponsor”), 61 S Fair Oaks Ave Suite 200, Pasadena, CA 91105.

  2. OVERVIEW.  The Sponsor has collaborated with four nonprofit organizations (Conservation x Labs, Field Ready, United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles, Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties, and CalEarth (collectively, the “Contest Collaborators”)) to design a series of four individual “Open Call Challenges” as part of the Contest. Each Open Call Challenge features a unique theme and one or more projects that calls on participants to design a hardware solution to address a defined problem or need. The project design briefs and other details for each Open Call Challenge can be found here: prize.supplyframe.com. Participants in the Open Call Challenge will compete for the Open Call Challenge prizes, including a Best All Around Solution prize and the Community Vote prize (as further described below).
  
  

  Sponsor has also issued a “Wildcard Challenge” as part of the Contest that allows Participants to define their own project objectives (the Wildcard Challenge and Open Call Challenges shall be collectively referred to as the “Challenges”).  Wildcard Challenge participants can choose any problem facing the world today and design the best and boldest hardware solution they can envision to address that problem. Participants in the Wildcard Challenge will only compete for the Wildcard Challenge prize and Community Vote prize (as further described below). 

  If you participate in a Challenge, you’ll need to showcase your design from start to finish, including aspects of system design, manufacturing challenges and choices, as well as a plan for deployment, all as further described in these 2020 Hackaday Prize Official Contest Rules (these “Official Rules”).

  For purposes of these Official Rules, “Participant” shall mean any individual who is participating in the Contest, whether an Open Call Challenge or Wildcard Challenge.  In the event a submission is submitted by a team, each team member shall be considered a “Participant.”

  3. ELIGIBILITY. Subject to the additional restrictions below, the Contest is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, Canada (excluding Quebec), the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Japan, India, South Africa, and wherever else the Contest is not prohibited or restricted by law. The Contest is not open to residents of Quebec, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, the Crimea Region of the Ukraine or any jurisdiction where the Contest would be restricted or prohibited by law or to any party that would be restricted or prohibited by law. Participants must be at least 18 years of age (or the local age of majority where they live, if higher) at the time of registration, except that minors age 13 or older may participate by obtaining the verifiable consent of a parent or legal guardian as described below, as long as such participation is not prohibited or restricted by law where the minor lives.

  Projects that were selected as semifinalists in previous presentations of The Hackaday Prize are not eligible for entry in this Contest; however, the contestants who developed those projects may enter with a substantially different project, provided they are otherwise eligible under these Official Rules.

  Existing projects, or projects that were entered in previous presentations of The Hackaday Prize but did not advance to at least the semifinal round, are eligible for submission in this Contest with the following restrictions:

  1.     The project must be significantly...

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• Challenges

  Lutetium • 05/15/2020 at 17:39 • 0 comments

  Nonprofit Open Call Challenges

  We’re partnering with nonprofits who have proven an unwavering dedication to each of their unique missions. Each organization receives $10,000 in donations, and an open source solution to their challenges.  

  One (1) Best All Around Solution Prize:  Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules, one (1) Best All Around Solution prize winner will be awarded a cash prize of $US 50,000. The winner of the Best All Around Solution prize will not also be eligible to receive an Open Call Challenge prize.

  Four (4) Open Call Challenge Prizes:  Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules, four (4) Open Call Challenge prize winners (one for each Open Call Challenge) will be awarded a cash prize of $US 10,000 each.

  
  

  Conservation x Labs 

  Develop solutions to combat invasive species in marine and island environments, and help craft tools for protecting our natural ocean landscapes. 

  Learn more...

  Start entry  

  Field Ready 

  Engineer open source devices in the form of a versatile heat sealer/ welder, versatile UV Wand for curing UV adhesive on a variety of objects, or a medical fluid warming system, all of which can be built in the field. 

  Learn more...

  Start entry 

  United Cerebral Palsy Los Angeles  

  Create or redesign open source assistive tools and devices usable by those with cerebral palsy, and/ or other physical challenges, to enable independence and creative expression. 

  Learn more...

  Start entry 

  CalEarth 

  Design modular add-ons for CalEarth’s dome housing models within the categories of connectivity, power harvesting, lighting, heating, or water collection and storage. 

  Learn more...

  Start entry 
  

  Wildcard Challenge

  Maybe you've already had a socially innovative project in the works but it doesn't quite match any of the nonprofit challenges , or maybe you want to work with a local nonprofit. Just tell us what problem you are trying to solve, build a prototype, and explain why your solution is the best, anything goes! 

  Start entry 

• CalEarth

  Lutetium • 05/15/2020 at 17:36 • 0 comments

  CalEarth 

  [Humanitarian Aid] 

  The Mission 

  CalEarth develops and educates the public in self-made, environmentally sustainable building designs. Houses anyone can build with their own two hands, using locally available earth, sandbags and barbed wire, that also meet modern-day standards.

  SuperAdobe architecture is a powerful tool in the fight against the global housing crisis. The education provided by CalEarth has empowered hundreds of people to also start humanitarian projects for those in need. 

  The Work 

  Projects like the Pegasus Children’s Project in Nepal in 2006 provided housing to 90 children and their caretakers and withstood the 7.6 earthquake in 2015. The Langbos Children’s Home in South Africa, provides care and support for vulnerable children in the Langbos community. 

  The Baninajar Refugee Camp on Tehran/ Iraq border enabled the refugees from Southern Iraq, as the eventual inhabitants, to build the shelters alongside trained UN personnel in the Baninajar refugee camp in Khuzestan, Iran. CalEarth has provided the tools and training to many communities who needed immediate housing after a crisis.  

  Open Challenge 

  Modular Add-Ons for SuperAdobe Domes: The global housing shortage currently encompasses 20-40 million refugees and displaced persons, as well as hundreds of millions more who live in substandard or slum housing. Environmental challenges and the acceleration of natural and man-made disasters mean this shortage will only become more severe.  

  While the CalEarth SuperAdobe structures meet the essential needs for communities facing housing crises, many of these structures could be outfitted with hardware add-ons to better support long-term dwellers, allow them to customize their homes according to their needs, and ultimately help them feel more comfortable and provide them with a more dignified living experience.  

  This challenge seeks designs for modular add-ons that seamlessly mount or fit into CalEarth’s dome housing models in the categories of connectivity, power harvesting, lighting, heating, and water storage.  

View all 13 contest logs