Actions
Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 10 replies
  • Subscribers 14 subscribers
  • Views 1550 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

Our Top Members have all participated in atleast 1 Design Challenge and here's why...

jwatson

Hi Guys & Gals

 

On the eve of launching our 2016 Raspberry Pi Global Design Challenge, it would be great if you could share with fellow members here why you joined which challenge and why...could you? Here is the list of all previous design challenges (with links) as an aide-memoire:

 

Look forward to hearing what's so great about being part of these Challenges from members point-of-views image

  • I participated in the Enchanted Objects Design Challenge.

    I vamped a 1950s turntable into an embedded IoT-compliantCopyright thing.

    1958 Turntable from the Black Forest - Summary of the Enchanted Player Story

     

    image

    I submitted a proposal because I thought I had a good story to tell. That's my first criterion.

    You spend a lot of time on the challenge. It's all good time, and good fun. But still, you need to be motivated to commit to the challenge.

    The design needs to be interesting for myself, but also to the community. I try to put everything I do on the blogs here on element14.

    Also the mistakes and dead-ends.

     

    I submitted a proposal because I thought I would learn new things

    I saw that the components for this challenge were really interesting, and several of them I didn't have experience with. Another box ticked.

    image

    I checked if there was enough to learn. In my case: real time ADC and sampling, FFT and DSP libraries, servos and developing c++ programs for linux embeded platforms.

    Certainly enough matter to grind my teeth on.

     

    I submitted a proposal because it's great fun

    I participated in a Road Test Plus before ([Christmas Wreath of Things] Internet of Holiday Lights - summary). That's identical to a Design Challenge, but with a different name image. What I learned there is that, while it officially is a race - and I think that each participant has the duty to run it for winning the cup - it's actually good fun.

    Everyone is struggling with similar things. During the months that you work on the challenge, you help each other out. And one person's experience influences the next participant's design.

    You learn to know the community members.

     

    So those are my three incentives: You can tell a story, you learn new technology and you make friends.

    And you get some cool hardware to boot.

     

     

  • Here is my story about Design Challenge at Element14...

     

    I have been chosen as challenger in Forget Me Not Design Challenge This is my first participation in design challenge at element14 community..

    There was lots of fun for learning and designing Raspberry Pi, enocean and OpenHAB based home automation related project... Its all about having a creative idea and trust on your self to come up with working project that proves your creativity... other members are always helpful to solve any tech or non tech issue... meanwhile contents produced as a challenger will be amazing repo for others with slimier interest..

    image

    here is my proposal for this design challenge..Forget_me_not : My Smart Home Post #1 My Roadtest Application

    and a build log..  Forget_me_not : Table of Contents "My Smarthome"

     

     

    The second design challenge for me was In the Air Design Challenge where I have proposed home automation related solution using SimpleLink LaunchPad development kit for CC3200 wireless MCU, Beaglebone Black, and Airvantage Cloud platform... There was a big disappointment for me in this challenge, As I was not able to complete my project on time due to many unwanted factors, But I had decided to come back with more dedication in next design challenge..

    image

    Here is my proposal for this design challenge... In The Air [IoT_Healthy] #Post 1: Introduction

    and a build log... In_The_Air [iot_healthy] : Table of contents

     

    My Third participation in design challenge was Sudden Impact Wearables Design Challenge where I have proposed,Designing of low cost and battery powered wearable sensor module to stream and monitor, vital body parameters of sport person on Android/IoS Smartphone and MacOS/Windows/Linux PC  using WiFi or on MacOS/Windows/Linux PC using long range Sub GHz transceiver at monitoring station. This challenge was amazing experience for me at this space... I have not only completed my project successfully but produced lots of contents, Also this project was successfully tested by team of professor at Leeds Beckett University,UK, and first time I have won runner up prize..

     

    image

     

     

    Here is my project proposal...[real_time_monitor] Real Time Player Monitoring System Post#1 : Introduction

    and a build log... [real_time_monitor] Real Time Player Monitoring System : Table of Contents

     

    I have participated by my own in MusicTech design challenge, But once again stuck with unwanted situations of life.... and not able to even progress a single step..

    Here is my proposal...[musictech] BBB Paint and Play Drum Set: Blog1- Introduction

     

    While writing this, once again I am all set for come back in new design challenge..image

    This is my story so far, about design challenge... and few words for our new challengers...

    "Design challenge is all about fun, creativity and collaboration.. ... You will get lots of e-goodies and you just have to show how well u can play with this e-goodies.. never afraid in participate,... and hopefully got selected try to play maximum with e-goodies... surely you end up with something meaningful stuff and lots of learning... "

     

    All the best to all buddies for future design challenge..

  • Why? Mainly to learn about new technologies or topics, directly or from the other competitors. Here are some thoughts on the challenges I've participated in:

     

    My first real design challenge, after the Santa Catcher roadtest. Taught me about the existence of other SBCs besides the Raspberry Pi. It also introduced me to software defined radios, using the provided RTL-SDR dongle.

    My daughter enjoyed her involvement in showcasing the project as well image

    image

     

    This was a challenge with a lot of active participants, till the end of the challenge. It was also one of the challenges where even though being competitors, we helped each other out. Competing with other Top Members made it even more exciting.

    Getting married during the challenge and making sure posts were scheduled to be published during my honeymoon, was like a challenge within a challenge image

     

    Was a difficult one for me. I couldn't really find my way around the Launchpads and Boosterpacks. I did perform my first SMD soldering as part of this challenge though. A new skill which has come handy since.

     

    Probably my biggest project so far. Combining experience from past projects and challenges into one big build. Getting the satisfaction of seeing this project published in the Linux User & Developer magazine and recently in The MagPi, is an added bonus and a motivator to keep going image

    imageimage

     

     

    Obviously, there is also the fact that a kit is provided for every challenge. It allows us to play and discover components or parts which we may not necessarily buy or get our hands on otherwise.

     

    As Jan states, it is the duty of the participants to actively participate and do their utmost best to reach the finish line. Life does come in between, but when signing up for a challenge, you should commit to your project. Planning is a key aspect of these challenges, and it is often underestimated. Plan ahead, think things through, and don't let issues stop you from finishing your project. There is always an alternative method to reaching the same goal.

  • I'd just finished my Topsy Turvy Clock project and the Enchanted Objects Design Challenge came along. The promo video shared a lot of thoughts that I'd also had and really sold me on the idea.

     

     

    The challenge seemed right up my street and on a similar slightly silly theme to my previous projects. I submitted a proposal for the Enchanted Cottage without really thinking what I was committing myself to. I thought I could make something that really fitted the theme well. I had some familiarity with the technology so I knew that it would be achievable but still challenging. I then decided to read the details of what was required from the project and although it seemed like a lot of work it luckily did not put me off.

      imageimage

     

    Once the challenge was running I knew it was going to be really hard. One key factor that kept me going was the support from the other Element14 members commenting on the blog posts, giving suggestions and answering questions. My story theme also helped with the motivation as I not only wanted to finish the project I wanted to finish the story.

     

    The challenge has lead on to other interesting things, winning the prize meant that I got to talk to the press and write some articles for magazines and of course the trip to the New York makers faire was fantastic. It's also meant I've been invited to give talks and to help facilitate an enchanted objects style workshop.

    imageimage

    So thanks again to Element14 and the sponsors. I would definitely recommend trying for a challenge, just be sure you know what you are getting yourselves into.

  • in reply to fvan

    Your daughter and you should win some prize for best photo ever : )

  • I participate in design challenges for lots of reasons:

    • I can't resist a challenge.
    • I get a lot of satisfaction from building something I designed and making it work.
    • I like learning new things and trying new things, experimenting with technology.
    • I love solving problems. I sometimes put together a conceptual design and proposal for a design challenge because it is fun to design, but don't submit it because I can't afford to buy the parts.
    • Some of the prizes are nice too - an added motive on some challenges.

    My first design challenge was the Smarter Life design challenge. I was not successful with my proposal so I was not a sponsored contestant, but I was interested in learning about Cypress Semiconductor PSoC technology, so I participated anyway with my Henrietta Project. Besides winning a great trip to Germany, it also resulted in a most unexpected annual invitation from Cypress Semiconductor to attend their Customer Advisory Board (CAB) conference - all expenses paid. You never know how many benefits will result when you get involved!

    My second design challenge was Forget Me Not. I was very intrigued and impressed with the EnOcean solar powered sensors and the awesome free kit included a Tektronix oscilloscope. My IQU project is misspelled in some of the links, but it was a fun project and I got to use my 3D printer on a design challenge for the first time.

    My third design challenge was Sudden Impact Wearables. This was a heavy workload challenge with lots of electrical design, lots of mechanical design, lots of software design, even lots of medical design and lots of testing. My Crown Tools helmet mounted concussion sensor did a good job of monitoring head accelerations in the hockey games I got to use it in before sending to the UK for evaluation. It still hasn't made it back, so I haven't been able to move forward with the project. My Heart Reactor heart monitor was a complex takeoff on Iron Man's arc reactor.

    image

    My fourth design challenge is Make Life Accessible. I don't know why the blog keeps jumping into a different blog area but here is a link to my Clear Walk project in case it jumps out of the Make Life Accessible area again. This project is going to be expensive with heavy electromechanicals, but it should be a useful device.

  • I've been in two design challenges: Forget Me Not Design Challenge & In the Air Design Challenge

     

    I can very accurately describe why I was attracted to those two: they had allocated budgets. I'm just not very good at taking allocated parts and constructing a whole project from them. I tried the design cycle like that before but I always end up with limited ideas. With the budget challenges, you get a certain set of parts but also the budget needed to add to those parts for a complete project. If I have the time I'm always up for a project, but I need to convince myself to carve out a chunk of my time for the challenge. This makes me evaluate the project with a cost to benefit analysis. It will cost my time for a particular benefit.

     

    If the In the Air Design Challenge didn't have a budget, I would not have been able to participate. I didn't have any equipment at home to work with surface mount components. I used the budget to get the equipment and parts needed to do some basic surface mount work.

     

    For the Forget Me Not Design Challenge I didn't have any parts or equipment at my home for prototyping, so I used the budget to get some.

     

    The biggest problem with these types of challenges though, is getting all the parts you ordered. Some of the parts I ordered never, ever showed up.

     

    The prizes are like the icing on the cake. The Forget Me Not Design Challenge, in my opinion, had the best prizes. Every competitor wanted that prize. There have been a few challenges that I might have been interested in, but the prizes weren't "ooh" or "ahhh" enough.

     

    Just my two cents.

  • I've treated the design challenges as extended road tests demonstrating the capabilities of the sponsors' products and to also make the impossible possible.

    In the process I must have made over forty self-contained projects.

    Unfortunately my XL Star articles were lost in a previous e14 Community Website upgrade.

    Also I have provided useful tips and hints to help the community at large.

     

    1. Always use flux paste!!!!

    2. Use brass wool solder tip cleaners (Don't use wet sponges!!!)

    3. Use the correct soldering temperatures (Not too hot!!!)

  • I think one big one that got missed in your list was the "Internet of Holiday Lights" challenge, this was very well participated in and and myself one first prizes, it was well participated in and well followed, oh and great prizes too, and Christian spiced it up with intermittent spot prizes along the way

     

    the is my entry, or at least the primary entry for it

    BYOB Party #1, "Bring you own Bulbs" - The Internet of Holiday Lights

    this was my closing video

    I got into it as I had not entered a design challenge before and thought why not, should be fun and how hard can it be !!!!

    By the end I had posted close to 18 or more blogs, all with video, schematics and code and it took easily 10 times more effort than i had initially anticipated.

     

    It is easy at the beginning to think, oh that should not be too hard and I should be able to fit it in easily but with many of us top members as you will already know and have read above, we don't do things half measured, we go all out and while winning is not always the goal, doing the best we can to share knowledge, educate and very importantly have fun along the way is and so it began....

     

    very quickly a few simple ideas snowballed into bigger ones, and this was one of the first design challenges where true collaboration happened too, many of us got together and had our entries actually talking to each others, in my final video you can see Jan Cumps name popping up on my scrolling light display as his entry posted to an MQTT server and shared info with mine. this was all excelent fun and I think a lot of people learned an awful lot of things from it. I know I did.

     

    but I have not taken up a challenge since, why, because I know it will be a time sink, I have a hard time not putting in my all and I have so many other project on the go and they would all get pushed out to make room for it, it is how we are (TMs and lead community members that is) and I want to still be contributing across the board with my videos, YouTube Channel and helping out, I get a kick out of that and with the challenge it became more of a chore by the end, I committed to do it, I had piled so much into it and so was determined to finish it at any cost. I did finish it, I was pretty happy with the results and everyone who saw it through to the end did an excelent job of it.

     

    So I have to agree with , if you can't clear the calendar for a few months to make room for it and you know you won't compromise on it then its hard to commit to enter. Road tests and the like are simple in comparison (Well I think so anyway), yes I still typically make elabourate posts and fun topics to showcase the products and spend 10's of hours on the reviews, but this challenge was all that (A product review first, challenge second) that ended up with hundreds of hours of research, building and editing

     

    I will probably leave the actual challenges to the younger ones in future and instead happily help from the sidelines with advice and other input to get them through it. I still do a few road tests a year but mostly help with community questions etc. this to me is a better use of my time in the community and the challenge took me well away from that while I was working on it

     

    So after all I have said of my experience, why would anyone want to enter

    1.      Its fun

    2.     You get free gear to help you with the project but to do better you will need to add you own to it, oh you get to keep the gear your sent either way

    3.     You get great prizes, and I mean great, it varies with every challenge but in the past has been trips to Germany, or New York, 3D Printers, Pretty Good Oscilloscopes and other Test Gear so it is well worth the effort

    4.     You get to learn a great deal and have a massive community behind you to help if you need it and or get stuck, you can be sure the TM Minions will always have an opinion or something helpful to say... we love to help out. and the rest of the community is there for you too so its not a lonely endeavour

    5.     Did I say its fun, but if you want to win, it will take effort and sometimes a lot of it, i'm not talking about technical expertise either, though that can help, i'm talking about creativity,  Effort and originality, not copying what someone else has done but certainly building upon other ideas (I rarely post complete production projects on line, most of my efforts go into showing members how to get something to work, then its up to them to make it their own and thats what im talking about, learning from others and extending that knowledge to make it your own masterpiece)

     

    So if your only goal is to win the prize, it will show in your work, if your goal is the journey and the prize is a bonus, that will show even more and will help you further to your goals, do something you're passionate about and do it to the best of your abilities, the rest will come to you, dont be afraid to ask for help and even share your ideas, it is rare that someone will steal it, it is guaranteed someone will help you with it.

     

    Biggest words of advice, pick a project you're going to be able to complete, stick to the plan and don't be afraid to ask for help, scope creep and being overly ambitious is NOT your friend with these challenges

     

    So Jane, i'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but there it is

  • Every design challenge has a theme and it says somethings real about the issues of the world around us. Electronics have always fascinated me and I have spent a large part of my life learning about it. What I have since realised is that electronics and technology in general is just a tool to solve a problem. Finding the problem is a challenge in itself and finding a better solution is another. I started with design challenges at element14 with the wireless power challenge which I applied for just for fun. I thought 'hey, why not' and I already had a problem in mind. It took me a while to get a feel of what I was doing and it was fun as @doctorcdf helped understand the process and try to get the necessary parts. The end result was not very inspiring to most but it was a start to me.

     

    Next came the forget me not which was something I really put a lot of time and energy into. My application was appreciated as one of the best and serves as an example by e14 which is an honour for me. It was about solving the problems at my own home and I enjoyed the entire process of building a maze of small diy modules and the end result needed two whole pages to summarise. It helped me again to organise my thoughts and I earned the love and respect of a lot of people. Best prize ever!

     

    I also did some posts for the internet of the backyard challenge at my expense but at the end dropped off due to lack of time.

     

    Next came the internet of holiday lights which was something I reluctantly entered but my need for the first prize which was a 3d printer forced my hand. I proposed a more specific and reduced project which was again based on a real requirement which was decorating my living room. Turns out I did a good job and me and my wife won a Cel Robox as did Peter Oakes.

     

    Next came the In the Air which was again something based out of a need to create an air quality sensor. Some tutorials and build posts later, I got my little air quality sensor working and this time I learned how to research data on sensors and the like.

     

    I did some posts for the SciFi your Pi but other engagements kept slowing down progress. I entered this one for fun and it kinda drifted away at the end.

     

    The last one was a roadtest plus LED RT PLUS by TI and WE. I wanted to make a modular connected light and ended up making an IoT Light for my baby's room that we can dim using a web interface. I won the challenge which was a plus but again, the project was rooted into a real world problem.

     

    The point here is that most of the design challenges I entered were because I saw an opportunity to address a problem in real life and it has helped me to grow. Life is about learning and design challenges are about trying to do something in a theme and learning by doing.

     

    Most of the stuff I have posted can be found by searching for the tag ip_iot and though not everything is inspirational, some of it has been found to be useful.

    Thanks image