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  • Author Author: cstanton
  • Date Created: 1 Mar 2021 11:33 AM Date Created
  • Last Updated Last Updated: 25 Jun 2021 2:27 PM
  • Views 10529 views
  • Likes 20 likes
  • Comments 144 comments
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Build Inside the Box 500!

element14 presents
Build Inside The Box

About the Challenge | 500th Episode | What's in THE BOX | Contestants | The Prizes | element14 Vault Giveaway| Terms & Conditions | See Brainstorming Call | Member Challenge Winners | Episode 504

 

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We have been building projects, tearing down hardware, and educating viewers on electronics, components, protocols and products for over ten years! And soon we will be releasing our 500th episode!

 

As a special way to mark the occasion we're inviting you to help Build Inside THE BOX and support STEM Education for the 500th episode. Read below on how you can get involved, and what it is about:

 

What is Build Inside the Box?

If you've heard of the television show 'Chopped' then you will be familiar with the idea - contestants must create a palatable dish using all of the ingredients that they are given.

For our 500th episode and to support STEM education, we have chosen three of our hosts to Build Inside the Box - competing against each other to create... something, anything! But they must use absolutely everything (that you help to decide on) they are given in THE BOX.

The projects they create will become our 500th episode of element14 presents - and bonus content of their builds will be available exclusively here on the element14 Community.

Each contestant will be competing for electronics hardware prizes and a shopping cart that will be awarded to a local STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) organisation that each has selected.

 

Register for Twitch Stream to see which VCP won

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Our Wonderful Contestants and Who They're Playing For

 

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Clem

Clem is taking up the challenge on behalf of Georg Schibranji. George is a teacher who gets his students into electronics with his initiative called ‘Fabrik8’, created in 2016 it aims to give the best possible 3D Printing education and support of enthusiasm for electronics in pupils of all ages to aid with requirements for getting work in the industry, George is also the founder of a Makerspace!

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Katie

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Katie’s taking up the challenge on behalf of TEC Girls, a group of women and men in Cornwall, United Kingdom, who’re changing the lack of women in technology, engineering and the creative areas to encourage participation at college, secondary and primary school levels with the aim to encourage engagement as early as possible to help young girls realize that technology is open to all.

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James

If James wins, the beneficiary will be DePaul University's $1,000 makerspace program which pairs underserved high schools in Chicago and the metropolitan area with the tools, training, and curriculum for teachers to integrate maker-centered learning into the classroom. The winning bundle will be distributed in conjunction with curriculum for teacher to use in covering the basics for students to learn 3D printing, CNC routing, electronics, programming, and development for the Internet of Things.

Grand Prize (1 STEM Education Winner)

1x Multicomp Pro Digital OscilloscopeMulticomp Pro Digital Oscilloscope

1x Multicomp Pro / Tenma Bench Power SupplyMulticomp Pro / Tenma Bench Power Supply

5x Multicomp Pro Digital Multimeter with BluetoothMulticomp Pro Digital Multimeter with Bluetooth

2x Multicomp Pro 80W Soldering Station 120v/240v 450-480degCMulticomp Pro 80W Soldering Station 120v/240v 450-480degC

PLUS a $750 USD Shopping Cart

 

Runner-Up Prize (2 STEM Education Winners)

1x Multicomp Pro / Tenma Bench Power SupplyMulticomp Pro / Tenma Bench Power Supply

2x Multicomp Pro Digital Multimeter with BluetoothMulticomp Pro Digital Multimeter with Bluetooth

1x Multicomp Pro 80W Soldering Station 120v/240v 450-480degCMulticomp Pro 80W Soldering Station 120v/240v 450-480degC

PLUS a $500 USD Shopping Cart

 

Find Out What's In the BOX here

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Top Comments

  • kmikemoo
    kmikemoo over 5 years ago +11
    Well cstanton , you read my mind with the 555. Every crazy project needs one. The weird ingredient I thought of is a photo interrupter ( https://www.newark.com/vishay/tcst1103/optical-sensor-transmissive…
  • dougw
    dougw over 5 years ago +9
    As indicated by Sean ( colporteur ), I would like to see a complete interactive sensory experience - visual (LEDs), audio (speaker & mic), tactile (switches pots & knobs), motion (motor or servo), sensors…
  • ntewinkel
    ntewinkel over 5 years ago +9
    The box will also need that "weird ingredient"... best I can think of right now is a little old analogue gauge?
  • shabaz
    shabaz over 5 years ago

    Regarding additional challenge factors, maybe one could be that the project must be user-friendly, proven on the video by making a family member who has not used it and with no instruction, use it : ) Not the easiest thing in the world.. suffered this with a speakerphone where it has weird things like having to hold down a button for five seconds, or holding down two buttons simultaneously, and none of it is intuitive or indicated on the product itself. That was a Sennheiser speakerphone, but Poly is no better, they have such silly combinations too, only for them it's three seconds instead of five (and worse in some ways, they have buttons with absolutely no text or symbol!). Maybe we ought to create a thread on worst UI's..

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  • cstanton
    cstanton over 5 years ago in reply to michaelkellett

    What would be engineering constraints?

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  • cstanton
    cstanton over 5 years ago in reply to alrms

    Use it as kindling? No? Maybe a better option..

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  • michaelkellett
    michaelkellett over 5 years ago

    I really can't get into this idea of imposing weird non-engineering constraints.

     

    The basic idea was fine, and a reasonable challenge.

     

    Throwing in hand soldering 0201 parts or mystery components is like the Tour de France banning left hand pedals.

     

    MK

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  • alrms
    alrms over 5 years ago in reply to cstanton

    You can add logic gates in the mix and ask the participants to make use of them as switches

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  • aspork42
    aspork42 over 5 years ago

    Ohhh - mystery components!

    Take some axial lead components like resistors and diodes and cover them with heat shrink so you can't see what they are image

     

    To be extra cruel, you could supply some ICs and scrub the markings off. Contestant has to probe them to try to discover what they are image

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  • baldengineer
    baldengineer over 5 years ago in reply to dougw

    For 8-bit microcontrollers, I think most compilers accept in-line assembly. So if it were a requirement, I'd ask for that option from the judges.

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  • alrms
    alrms over 5 years ago in reply to cstanton

    Focus on the box itself, give them the opportunity to repurpose it by cutting and modifying it to their need.

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  • baldengineer
    baldengineer over 5 years ago in reply to dougw

    Challenge accepted... (Because I soldered some in a recent Workbench Wednesdays episode: WorkBench Wednesday 30: Ceramic Capacitor Voltage Effect). image

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  • dougw
    dougw over 5 years ago in reply to cstanton

    You mean like video proof of a "fusible" component going up in magic smoke?

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