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

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

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

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 equipment for refugee schools to utilize. 

UCPLA

Ruben Kackstaetter

Embedded Software Engineer, with background in Electronics 

Frederick, Colorado, USA

Ruben is an embedded software engineer with a background in electrical engineering and a passion for DIY projects. Prior to joining the UCPLA Dream Team challenge, Ruben and his brother worked on a Large Button Universal Remote for their brother-in-law who has cerebral palsy. 

Nataliya Kosmyna

Ph.D in Computer Science, specialization in Brain-Computer Interfaces, MS in AI and HCI 

Boston, MA, United States

Dr. Nataliya is an MIT researcher and entrepreneur who holds a Ph.D in Computer Science, with a specialization in Brain-Computer interfaces (BCIs). With over ten years of experience in BCIs, she has published her work in top journals and conferences around the world. She also holds a Master degree in AI and HCI.

Kelvin Chow

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineer

Toronto, Canada

Kelvin is a mechanical engineer with experience working in various academic R&D labs on projects ranging from flexible electronics, to physical rehabilitation, and even tissue engineering. He has a deep love for the maker movement and loves tinkering, learning new skills, and collaborating with people from a variety of different backgrounds and experiences.

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 

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 his vast experience in product design, mass manufacturing, and rapid prototyping to help companies ship hardware.

Marco Cervantes

Technical Director, CalEarth Institute 

Marco Cervantes is an environmental engineer based out of the San Diego area. Since 2010, he has been teaching and building SuperAdobe structures. He has led workshops at CalEarth Institute in California, as well as in Spain, Italy, and Mexico. As CalEarth’s Technical Director he works to design and implement SuperAdobe training.

Christine Sunu

Developer Engagement, Twilio 

Christine has worked in technology, media, medicine, and art. During her residency at Supplyframe DesignLab, Christine developed her HaRoCo robots, which are designed to help people achieve personal goals, become healthier, and feel more emotionally grounded. Her work meshes the advantages of modern, Internet connected, and "smart" technology with our everyday, tactile, emotive world.

Tod Kurt

Co-founder & Principal, ThingM

Tod is the creator of the blink(1) notification light and the BlinkM Smart LED. He co-founded CRASH Space, author of “Hacking Roomba”, contributes to MAKE mag, and has a few patents.

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 project and how much you will make available to the public when you push your project out into the world. Optimally, we would like to see open source drivers, hardware, and development tools; the final project would also be licensed as open source (using the wide range of licenses that are possible). This is a judging preference, so providing design files in a format that uses open source tools (and therefore allows others to easily use or modify them), will help you with the best chance of edging out your competition.

What are the judges using as criteria for who moves on to the final round?

You must complete the minimum entry requirements for the Challenge. Challenge entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• How effective of a solution is the entry to the challenge it is responding to?
• How thoroughly documented were the design process & design decisions?
• How ready is this design to be manufactured?
• How complete is the project?

What are the judges using as criteria to select the top ten winners?

Finalist entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• Concept- Is the project creative, original, functional, and pushing boundaries? Does the project effectively address the selected challenge?
• Design- Is there a depth of design detail available (like a system design, CAD models, project test methods, etc.)? Is there base-level planning for the functionality (e.g., functional block diagram, list of specifications and descriptions of how they will be met, etc.)? How user-friendly is the design? 
• Production- Is the project realistically reproducible (taking into consideration necessary materials, skills, and production processes)? Are the manufacturing processes detailed? Are those processes realistic for scalability?
• Benchmark- How well is the project impact and viability demonstrated? Are estimated costs realistic? How well does the project improve upon other designs? 
• Communication- How thoroughly have the Final Round requirements been completed? How well documented is the project? How “open” is the design? Is the project reproducible (consider materials, skills, and processes) and could the work be extended for other uses?

I was a finalist in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, or 2019 can I enter the same project again?

If you won anything in a previous presentation of The Hackaday Prize that project is not eligible for entry in this Contest. You may enter with a substantially different project.

Can I re-enter my project from 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, or 2019?

You can enter a previous Prize entry, but you must create a new project page and the project must be significantly different from when previously entered and show meaningful development during the course of the Contest.

I'm under 18, are there special rules around entering?

Yes, you must fill out a consent form and have a parent or guardian sign it. When you click on the dropdown under your project profile to enter the Prize, you'll get a screen with a link to download the consent form. Here is a link to the consent form.

Where can I see the Hackaday Prize 2020 entries?

Hackaday.io lists all of the Hackaday Prize 2020 projects entered.

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 different from when previously entered and show meaningful development since it was last entered in The Hackaday Prize.

Internet access, a YouTube, Vimeo, or Youku account and the creation of personal and project profile pages on hackaday.io are required to participate. The following individuals are not eligible to enter the Contest: (i) employees, representatives, agents, directors, officers, and contractors of Sponsor, and its parents, subsidiaries, and affiliated companies; (ii) grant recipients from the Sponsor’s Dream Team grant program; (iii) current employees, representatives, agents, directors, and officers and contractors of the Contest Collaborators; and (iv) the family members of, and any persons domiciled with, any such excluded individuals in (i) – (iii).. The term “family members” includes spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings, children, grandchildren and in-laws, regardless of where they live.

4. TERM. The Contest will open at 07:01 a.m. P.D.T. on May 19, 2020 and run through the later of (i) November 6, 2020 and (ii) when all the winners are announced. The initial Challenge submissions will be accepted until 07:00 a.m. P.D.T. on August 31, 2020 (the “Entry Round Period”). The Final Round (as defined below) will run from 7:01 a.m. P.D.T of September 7, 2020 through 07:00 a.m. P.D.T. on October 5, 2020 (“Final Round Period”). To be considered for the Community Vote prize, submissions must be received by 07:00 a.m. P.D.T. on July 6, 2020 (the “Community Vote Entry Period”). Participants will advance as described below until the Contest ends with the announcement of the prize winners on or around November 6, 2020.  Sponsor’s application system is the official time keeping device for the Contest.

5. HOW TO ENTER. The purpose of the Contest is to encourage Participants to develop solutions to address technology issues facing humanity today.

The Challenges will consist of one (1) Entry Round and one (1) Final Round (as further defined below). Participants may enter the Challenges during the Entry Round Period. Participants must complete the requirements for the Entry Round to be eligible for the Final Round. All Open Call Challenge submissions completed during the Entry Round Period will be considered for the Best All Around Solution prize. All Challenge submissions completed during the Community Vote Entry Period will be considered for the Community Vote prize. All submissions must be in English and must comply with any specified requirements.

Entry Round: The steps listed below must be completed by 07:00 a.m. P.D.T. on August 31, 2020 for a submission to be considered.

i.         Required for ALL Submissions:

a.     Personal Profile. Create a personal profile on hackaday.io, completing all required fields and following all instructions (required of each Participant, including each member of a team) (“Personal Profile”).

b.     Project Profile. Create a project profile on hackaday.io, completing all required fields and following all instructions (“Project Profile”).

1.     Discuss the challenge the project addresses.

2.     Discuss how the project will alleviate or solve the problem that the project addresses.

3.     Publish at least one (1) image illustrating how the project might be used. This may be a sketch, schematic, flow chart, rendering, or other type of image.

4.     Link to any repositories (e.g., Github).

5.     Document all open-source licenses and permissions as well as any applicable third-party licenses/restrictions.

6.     Submit the project to the 2020 Hackaday Prize, using the “Submit project to...” option found on the published Project Profile and specify which Challenge you are addressing by selecting the appropriate tag in the tag menu. 

7.     Show at least four (4) Project Log updates on your Project Profile.

Final Round: 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

Entry of Minors: Prior to starting on any of the entry requirements for the Contest, a prospective Participant age 13 through 18 (or age 13 through the legal age of majority where the prospective Participant lives, if higher than 18) must contact prize@hackaday.com for instructions on obtaining the verifiable consent of a parent or legal guardian to enter the Contest. The prospective Participant and his or her parent or legal guardian must complete all instructions for the prospective Participant to be eligible to participate.

Other Entry Terms: Consistent with the agile and collaborative nature of hardware hacking, Sponsor may decide that reasonable modifications to entry, judging or other criteria (for example, additional clarification or detail for submission requirements) are appropriate for the Contest to run smoothly and to help the Participants make their best contributions to the hardware hacking community. Sponsor reserves the right to modify or supplement these Official Rules, and to communicate such modifications or supplements to Participants, as Sponsor deems reasonable.  Additional material may be requested from the Participants after their submission is made to assist with the selection of finalists and winners. Requests will be made via email using the contact information provided in the submission. Participants are required to respond promptly to any such requests and in no event later than five (5) business days from the send date of the request, or else they will risk disqualification from the Contest.

A Participant may submit more than one project, but must create a Project Profile and fulfill all entry requirements for each project. Each project submission will be evaluated independently.

The use of multiple identities for Personal Profiles is prohibited. Incomplete, forged, altered, automated, lost, late, misdirected, garbled, or illegible submissions, or submissions that do not meet stated size, formatting or other requirements will not be considered. In the event of a dispute, submissions will be deemed to have been submitted by the owner of the hackaday.io account from which a submission was made, provided that such person satisfies all other Contest eligibility requirements. If there is a dispute as to the identity of that person, the authorized account subscriber of the email address used to register for the user account will be deemed the owner. The authorized account subscriber is the natural person who is assigned the email address by the ISP or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses.

Any questions regarding the eligibility or appropriateness of any submissions, including videos, for consideration in the Contest shall be resolved by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole and unfettered discretion to disqualify any submissions by persons who submit false or misleading entry information or who Sponsor determines to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify Participants whose submissions are frivolous or fail to meet applicable requirements.

6. COMPETITION CRITERIA AND WINNER SELECTION. Project submissions will be evaluated at each stage as described below until prize winners are chosen. At each stage, submissions will be evaluated on the basis of the Project Profile. Any content or material not reflected on the Project Profile will not be considered. If a submission is disqualified or fails to progress to the next stage, the Participants will not have the opportunity to resubmit the project for prize consideration during this Contest.

There will be one (1) winner and one (1) honorable mention recipient awarded for each Open Call Challenge (a total of four (4) winners and four (4) honorable mention recipients); as well as one (1) overall winner named from all Open Call Challenge submissions (the “Best All Around Solution”).  There will be one (1) Wildcard prize winner selected from among the eligible participants who compete in the Wildcard Challenge. Sponsor will also offer twenty (20) Community Vote prizes based on a combination of community vote and judging as further described below.  All eligible participants in Challenges (whether Open Call Challenges or the Wildcard Challenge) are eligible for consideration for the Community Vote prizes.

Entry Round: At the close of the Entry Round Period, a panel of qualified judges appointed by Sponsor will select up to one hundred (100) submissions to advance to the Final Round based on the following four (4) evenly-weighted judging criteria:

i.       How effective of a solution is the entry to the challenge it is responding to?

ii.      How thoroughly documented were the design process & design decisions?

iii.     How ready is this design to be manufactured?

iv.    How complete is the project?

Announcement of Entry Round Results: On September 7, 2020, Sponsor will announce up to one hundred (100) Entry Round submissions that will advance to the Final Round based on the judge’s evaluation using the four (4) evenly-weighted criteria above.

Final Round: At 07:00 a.m. P.D.T. on October 5, 2020, Sponsor will snapshot each Project Profile for evaluation. A panel of qualified judges will select the ten (10) winning submissions (one (1) winner and one (1) honorable mention for each Open Call Challenge (8 total winners); one (1) winner for the Wildcard Challenge; one (1) Best All Around Solution winner) based on the five (5) evenly-weighted judging criteria described below. The top overall Open Call Challenge score will be deemed the Best All Around Solution winner.

                         i.         Concept- Is the project creative, original, functional, and pushing boundaries? Does the project effectively address the selected challenge?

                        ii.         Design- Is there a depth of design detail available (like a system design, CAD models, project test methods, etc.)? Is there base-level planning for the functionality (e.g., functional block diagram, list of specifications and descriptions of how they will be met, etc.)? How user-friendly is the design?

                       iii.         Production- Is the project realistically reproducible (taking into consideration necessary materials, skills, and production processes)? Are the manufacturing processes detailed? Are those processes realistic for scalability?

                      iv.         Benchmark- How well is the project impact and viability demonstrated? Are estimated costs realistic? How well does the project improve upon other currently available solutions?

                       v.         Communication- How thoroughly have the Final Round requirements been completed? How well documented is the project? How “open” is the design?

COMMUNITY VOTE PRIZES:

The community on hackaday.io will vote on project submissions under the supervision of Sponsor. This will be decided by the “likes” metric shown on the Project Profile. The voting window shall open at 7:01 a.m. P.D.T. on May 19, 2020 and end at 7:00 a.m. P.D.T. on July 6, 2020.  Votes must be received by at 7:00 a.m. P.D.T. on July 6, 2020 to be counted.  Only one vote per person is allowed. Any hackaday.io user who registers on the hackaday.io website may participate in the voting process for the Community Vote, including Participants, but registering as multiple people or providing false information during registration is prohibited.  The top one-hundred (100) eligible projects with the most “likes” by the end of the voting window will be evaluated by a panel of qualified judges based on the Entry Round judging criteria. The panel will select the top twenty (20) projects to win the Community Vote prizes. Such winners will be announced on July 17, 2020.  Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify and exclude from consideration any “likes” that Sponsor suspects may have been submitted in violation of these Official Rules.

7. RULES FOR SUBMISSIONS. All content provided by Participants (including all teammate(s)) in connection with their participation in the Contest including, without limitation, any ideas, designs, plans, images, videos, music, prototypes, software, source code, logos, names, or any other intellectual property (“Project Content”), must be (a) the original content of the Participant and/or Participant’s teammate(s), or (b) third-party content for which the Participant and/or Participant’s teammate(s) have secured all necessary consents, approvals, or licenses for such content to be used by Participant(s), Sponsor, judges, other members of the hackaday.io community, and as otherwise contemplated herein. By posting, linking, tagging, or otherwise associating any Project Content with the Contest, Participant represents and warrants that the Project Content, and the use of the Project Content by Participant(s), Sponsor, judges, hackaday.io users, and as otherwise contemplated herein, will not violate any rights of any person or entity, including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, patent, or other intellectual property rights, or rights of privacy and publicity, or violate any applicable national, federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or policies, including those relating to export control.

Video Standards: In addition to the above, the following standards apply to videos:

                         i.         Videos must be the original creation of the Participant and/or a Participant’s teammate(s)

                        ii.         Videos must not depict or name any person who has not given written consent for such depiction (if requested, Participant agrees to provide evidence of such written consent to Sponsor)

                       iii.         Videos must not:

a.     Contain any advertisements, commercial endorsements, or content disparaging to any person or company (including Sponsor and competitors of Sponsor)

b.     Contain any content that is obscene, vulgar, or defamatory, or that is disparaging on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age

c.     Depict any activity, or imply any activity, that violates the law, involves drug or alcohol use, is sexual in nature, involves gambling, or which may result in physical injury or property damage

d.     Contain any content that is in poor taste, unsportsmanlike, or contrary to the values of Sponsor and the hackaday.io community (as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion); or

e.     Contain any content that is unlawful in any jurisdiction where the submission is made.

Sponsor reserves the right to terminate any Participant’s participation in the Contest and disqualify any project submission, if, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, any Project Content, including, without limitation, any video, submitted by the Participant or a teammate of the Participant fails to comply with restrictions described in this section or any other applicable provision of these Official Rules. Sponsor reserves the right to remove any Project Content from hackaday.io or Sponsor’s social media accounts that Sponsor in its sole discretion deems objectionable for any reason.

8. OWNERSHIP OF SUBMISSIONS; LICENSES. As between Sponsor and Participant, Participant retains ownership of all intellectual property rights in and to the Project Content. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participant acknowledges that a goal of the Contest is to encourage the development of contributions which may be freely used by the hardware hacker community, including users of hackaday.io, and that any license applicable to any Project Content should be open source if code or, if other content, should permit copying, distribution, remixing, building upon or other uses for any purpose. To the extent a license or other restriction applies that may restrict such uses of any Project Content, Participant agrees to identify such Project Content and the applicable license or other restriction on the Project Profile page. Sponsor is not responsible for any failure by any hackaday.io user or other third party to comply with any license or restriction applicable to any Project Content, or any other use, replication, distribution, and/or modification of any Project Content by any person other than Sponsor (including, without limitation, the commercialization of any ideas). Participant waives all moral rights in Project Content to the extent such rights are waivable.

As a condition of participation in the Contest, Participant grants Sponsor, its affiliates, subsidiaries, agents, and advertising partners, a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, fully transferable and sublicensable license to use, reproduce, adapt, modify, publish, distribute, publicly perform, create a derivative work from, and publicly display, in any and all media (now known or later developed), submissions (including, without limitation, videos) (1) for the purposes of reviewing, assessing, testing, and evaluating the submission in connection with the Contest; (2) for the purpose of promoting the Project Content and/or the Contest to members of the hackaday.io community or others; and (3) in connection with advertising and promotion for the benefit of Sponsor, the judges and any advertising partners associated with hackaday.io or the Contest. Participant agrees to sign any additional waivers, licenses or releases that Sponsor reasonably requests in order to perfect or make use of the rights granted herein.

Participant understands that, excluding the opportunity to win a prize, Participant will not receive any compensation from Sponsor in connection with Participant’s participation in the Contest, and Participant is solely responsible for any costs or expenses arising from such participation.

No Conflicting Obligations / Government Employees: By participating, Participant represents and warrants that Participant is not subject to any conflicting obligations that may restrict Participant’s participation in the Contest or the use of Participant’s submissions by Sponsor, judges, or other parties as contemplated herein. A Participant who is an employee of the U.S. Government, or who is employed by any other entity that may restrict participation in the Contest, represents and warrants that he or she has obtained all necessary approvals needed to participate in the Contest and submit intellectual property as contemplated by these Official Rules.

9. INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM ENTRY PERMITTED. A Participant may enter individually, or groups of Participants may enter as a team. Each Participant in a team must agree individually to and comply with these Official Rules, including without limitation, all eligibility requirements. The failure of any Participant to comply in any manner with these Official Rules may, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, result in the disqualification of the Participant’s teammates. The project owner shall be automatically considered the captain (“Team Captain”). By entering as a member of a team, a Participant acknowledges and agrees to the following rules for teams:

                         i.         After the Entry Round Period closes, the membership of a team may not be changed.

                        ii.         A Participant may not submit any Project Content on behalf of the team without the agreement of each member of the team.

                       iii.         Each member of the team is responsible for ensuring the compliance of the team with these Official Rules, including the compliance of any and all Project Content requirements regardless of which member creates or submits it.

                      iv.         If a project submitted by a team of Participants is awarded a prize, such prize will be awarded to the Team Captain. It is up to the Team Captain to decide how to allocate the prize.

10. PRIZES. All monetary values are in United States Dollars.

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.

Four (4) Challenge Honorable Mention Prizes:  Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules, four (4) Open Call Challenge honorable mention prize winners (one for each Open Call Challenge) will be awarded a cash prize of $US 3,000 each.

Wildcard Challenge Prize: Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules, one (1) Wildcard Challenge prize winner will be awarded a cash prize of $US 5,000.  Participants in the Wildcard Challenge are not eligible for the Best All Round Solution prize or any Open Call Challenge prizes.

Community Vote Prize: Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules, twenty (20) Community Vote prize winners will be selected to win a cash prize of $US 500 each.

Total ARV of all prizes to be awarded in the Contest: $US 137,000.

Please allow 8 to 10 weeks after the end of the Contest for the prizes to be fulfilled. Sponsor is not responsible for any fluctuations in the value of any prize (e.g., due to differences in currency exchange rates) occurring throughout the duration of the Contest or otherwise before the prize is fulfilled.

11. WINNER NOTIFICATION AND ACCEPTANCE. Sponsor will notify Participants who advance to the Final Round by email or phone call to each Team Captain or an individual Participant (as applicable) on September 7, 2020. Challenge winners will be announced on or around November 6, 2020.  Community Vote winners will be notified by email or phone call to each Team Captain or individual Participant (as applicable) on July 17, 2020.

12. A PARTICIPANT IS NOT A WINNER OF ANY PRIZE UNLESS AND UNTIL SPONSOR HAS COMPLETED ITS VERIFICATION OF PARTICIPANT’S/PARTICIPANTS’ ELIGIBILITY.

In order to claim a prize, a potential winner must respond to Sponsor’s notification within five (5) business days by emailing Sponsor at prize@hackaday.com or as otherwise requested in the prize notification communication. Potential winners, including all team members connected with the winning project submission, may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility and/or provide other documentation Sponsor reasonably requires to verify eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules, as well as a liability and publicity release (except where prohibited by law). Required documents must be notarized, if applicable, and returned within five (5) business days.

Sponsor’s inability to reach a potential winner after a reasonable (as solely determined by Sponsor) effort has been made, the failure of a potential winner to timely respond to a prize notification, the return of any prize notification as undeliverable, and/or a potential winner’s failure to comply with any term or condition of these Official Rules may, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, result in the potential winner’s disqualification. Sponsor in its sole discretion may select a substitute winner by awarding the prize to another member of a winning team or by awarding the prize to the eligible submission that received the next highest score according to the judging criteria. If Sponsor makes a reasonable effort to select another potential winner and that winner does not respond or is ineligible, the prize will not be awarded and will remain the property of Sponsor.

A winner may waive the right to receive a prize. Prizes are non-assignable and nontransferable.

Taxes: Each winner is solely responsible for reporting and payment of any taxes on a prize. Winners are solely responsible for all national, federal, state, and local taxes on prize value and, as applicable, will be issued an IRS Form 1099 (or other applicable form) based on the prize value determined by Sponsor. Prize winners agree and acknowledge that Sponsor may be required to withhold and remit a portion of prize value to comply with applicable tax laws. Prize winners also agree to provide Sponsor with a valid social security number or any other information Sponsor may require in connection with applicable tax reporting or withholding requirements or other laws or regulations.

13. TERMINATION. In the event the Contest is not capable of running as planned for any reason, including without limitation, due to a compromising computer virus or bug, non-authorized human intervention, tampering, fraud, technical failures, pandemic infections, governmental orders or other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, schedule or proper operation of the Contest, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend, modify, or terminate the Contest. Should the Contest be terminated prior to the end date, Sponsor reserves the right to award prizes based on submissions received before the termination date. Proof of sending or submission of any Project Content will not be deemed proof of receipt by Sponsor.

14. PRIVACY POLICY; TERMS OF SERVICE. Participant agrees that Sponsor’s privacy policy and terms of service apply to Participant’s participation in the Contest. By participating, Participant represents and warrants that Participant has read and agrees to Sponsor’s privacy policy located at http://hackaday.io/privacy-policy and Sponsor’s terms of service located at http://hackaday.io/tos.

In addition to any collection, sharing, or use permitted by Sponsor’s privacy policy, by participating, Participant expressly consents to the sharing of all submission information (including, without limitation, information submitted to a Participant’s personal profile and Project Profile) with Sponsor and other parties, such as judges, in connection with the administration of the Contest. Sponsor does not guarantee confidential treatment of any submission information, or Project Content relating to entries, irrespective of whether such materials are marked as confidential or with any similar legend. Participants will not submit information that they consider to be confidential. Participant grants Sponsor permission to contact Participant using the information provided on the Participant’s Personal Profile or Project Profile, including name, address, email address, and phone number. In the event of a conflict between the privacy policy or terms of service and these Official Rules, these Official Rules will control.

Participant may choose during entry or registration to expressly instruct Sponsor that Participant wishes to receive special offers and information about the services that may be of interest and to grant permission to Sponsor to send emails to Participant regarding these things. If Participant does not provide such express consent during registration and the entry process, Participant shall not be registered to receive such offers. Participant may unsubscribe from such offers by following the unsubscribe instructions in the email messages.

15. PUBLICITY RELEASE. By entering the Contest, Participant hereby grants Sponsor, except to the extent prohibited by law, a perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive and sub-licensable right and license to use, distribute, and publicly display the Participant’s name, voice, likeness, and biographical information and Project Content, at any time, in any and all media for any commercial, publicity, or promotional purpose without limitation, review, approval or compensation. Participant agrees to promptly execute and return to the Sponsor any confirmation, license, verification or other document or instrument a Sponsor requests to confirm, further formalize or perfect the rights granted in this paragraph, or any other rights or interests of such Sponsor under these Official Rules.  

16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; WAIVER. The limitations of liability and waiver apply to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the country, state, or province of the applicable Participant. To the extent any of the following limitations are not permitted under the laws of the state, province, or country where the Participant lives, Participant agrees that the remaining portions of these limitations that are permissible shall apply to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Sponsor, its advertising partners and prize providers (and any of the respective parent companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries of each), Contest Collaborators (and any of its respective parent companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries), Contest judges, any other party that assists Sponsor in operating the hackaday.io website or conducting the Contest, and any social media or service provider used in connection with the Contest (including, without limitation, YouTube, Vimeo, and Youku) (the “Released Parties”) are not responsible for any claims, liabilities, damages, costs, losses, or expenses (including attorneys’ fees) whatsoever (collectively, “Claims”) arising out of or in connection with the Contest, the award or failure to award any prize, the disclosure of any entry-related information, the use or misuse of any prize, or participation in any Contest-related event or activity. Without limiting the foregoing release, under no circumstances will the Released Parties be  liable for: any (i) incorrect or inaccurate entry information; (ii) theft, tampering, destruction, disclosure, or alteration of entries or related information; (iii) malfunction of any computer, telephone, network, satellite, hardware, software, or communications line; (iv) unauthorized human intervention; (v) damage to any person’s computer or mobile device; (vi) errors in these Official Rules, winner or finalist notifications, or other announcements or communications relating to the Contest, or incorrect, delayed, or inaccurate data transmission or the failure to capture or transmit any information relating to the Contest, (vii) the acts or omissions of any Participant in the Contest, (viii) any damage arising from use of any website associated with the Contest or the downloading from and/or printing of material downloaded from such website, (ix) if selected as a finalist, the Applicant’s acceptance or participation, or inability to participate, in the Final Round, or (x) the exercise of the rights granted under the “Publicity Release” section above, including, without limitation, any Claims arising from a theory of defamation, invasion of privacy, or false light. In the event of any ambiguity or error(s) in these Official Rules, Sponsor reserves the right to clarify or modify these Official Rules however it deems appropriate to correct any perceived ambiguity or error(s).  All decisions of the Sponsor and any judges appointed by the Sponsor relating to the Contest shall be final and binding in all respects.

EACH PARTICIPANT UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES THAT THIS RELEASE WILL PREVENT PARTICIPANT FROM BRINGING A LAWSUIT, CLAIM, OR OTHER ACTION AGAINST ANY OF THE RELEASED PARTIES AND FROM RECOVERING ANY MONEY DAMAGES OR OTHER LEGAL RELIEF FROM ANY OF THE RELEASED PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OF THE RELEASED CLAIMS ABOVE.

If you are a California resident, you hereby waive California Civil Code Section 1542, which states, “A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party.”

CERTAIN LAWS DO NOT ALLOW CERTAIN LIMITATIONS ON LIABILITY. IF THESE LAWS APPLY TO PARTICIPANT, SOME OR ALL OF THE FOREGOING DISCLAIMERS, EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO PARTICIPANT, AND PARTICIPANT MIGHT HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS.

LEGAL WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPANT, TO DELIBERATELY UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS, AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND PURSUE ALL OTHER REMEDIES AGAINST ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. 

Sponsor may prohibit (i) a certain project submission from proceeding in the Contest or winning and/or (ii) a Participant from participating in the Contest or from winning, in its sole discretion, if Sponsor determines in its sole discretion that said Participant, or any person associated with the Participant, is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, deception, or other unfair playing practices (including the use of automated programs for the submission of “likes”) or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other Participants or any Released Parties.

The Released Parties make no warranties, and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law hereby disclaim any and all warranties, express or implied, concerning anything regarding the Contest, including without limitation the websites associated with the Contest and any prize furnished in connection with the Contest. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, SUCH PRIZES AND ALL OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE CONTEST ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW THE RELEASED PARTIES HEREBY DISCLAIM ALL SUCH WARRANTIES.

17. INDEMNIFICATION. By participating in the Contest, Participant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Released Parties from any and all Claims that may arising in connection with (i) Participant’s participation in the Contest; (ii) Participant’s violation of these Official Rules; (iii) the Participant’s project and the Project Content, including without limitation, any claims of intellectual property infringement or misappropriation arising from or relating to such project or Project Content; or (iii) Participant’s acceptance, use, or misuse of any prize. To the extent the laws of Participant’s country, state, or province limit or do not permit any of the foregoing indemnifications, Participant agrees that the indemnification obligations that are permissible shall apply to the maximum extent permitted by law.

18. BINDING NATURE; CONSTRUCTION. By participating in the Contest, Participant agrees to be bound by all applicable laws, these Official Rules, and the decisions of Sponsor and the judges selected by Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any such provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these Official Rules shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision were not contained therein.

19. DISPUTES.  THIS CONTEST IS GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WITHOUT RESPECT TO CONFLICT OF LAW DOCTRINES. As a condition of participating in this Contest, Participant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, shall be resolved exclusively before a court located in California having jurisdiction.

20. CONTACT. Any questions, complaints or issues should be addressed to prize@hackaday.com. For a copy of the winners’ list, email prize@hackaday.com after November 6, 2020. Any such requests for the winners’ list must be received no later than sixty (60) days after November 6, 2020 or the announcement of the winners.

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 

[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.