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What Changes Would You Like to See Made to Project14?

tariq.ahmad

Its been a long time since we've made any kind of changes to the format of Project14 but its due for an upgrade.   Its natural for programs to evolve overtime and things can't stay the same forever. We've experimented with different things with the program and some have been received more enthusiastically than others.   I'm starting this thread to see what kind of changes you would like to see us to make with this program.  What shouldn't be touched,  what would make things more exciting, and how do we grow the program without turning it into something different?  Should it be something different?   Where does Project14 fit in with the larger community?  Before getting this conversation underway, I would like to stress that the goal is to improve not diminish the program.  My managers have been very supportive from the beginning of this program and I want to reward their confidence.   Some of these changes are workload related.  Others are business related.  I'm open to all ideas and suggestions.

 

Topics on the Table:

 

- Launch Themes Every Other Month or Keep them Monthly?

- Shorter Contests or Longer Contests?

- If we have fewer contests Is there Stuff We Can Do In-Between?

- How Can We Make It Easier For More People to Participate?

- Should We have Bigger Prizes?

- Should we have a giveaway before we launch every contest?

- Most Importantly How Do We Make These More Fun?

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  • If we wanted to do something to shake things up, what are some ideas you had for any swag we could giveaway to kickoff the beginning of a contest such as (Data Conversion ) or any of our upcoming themes (Project14 | You Decide the Next Monthly Project Competition! )?  I think its always fun when you have a theme and can find a gadget or test equipment that ties in with the theme.   In the past when we've done it,  its made things more fun!

     

    For example,  we have an upcoming contest in February:

     

    Digital Fever (Digital logic. With anything. An FPGA, logic gate ICs, CMOS logic, TTL, DTL, discrete ...  "Flip that bit") Contest coming up and some great theme ideas for future contests:

     

    • what items would be fun to giveaway here (MKR VIDOR 4000 or Arty S7)
    • what would you like to see as the best overall project/ runners up  (Spectrum Analyzer?)

     

    Cheer Us Up -  make something completely daft, pointless, humorous, prank related or wacky. This could easily include animations and display messages, things with plenty of movement, those including pets are good or nice audio.

    • what items would be fun to giveaway here  (something wacky for your build or LEDs?)
    • what would you like to see as the best overall project/ runners up  (Something pointless?)

     

    Photography - anything involving photos.  There's a lot of scope to get creative with technology.

    • what items would be fun to giveaway here  (Pi Cam?)
    • what would you like to see as the best overall project/ runners up  (Camera?)

     

    Electro-Mechanical Devices - Electronics and mechanics often need to hook up to accomplish a task and this topic would provide a wide scope for ideas.

    • what items would be fun to giveaway here
    • what would you like to see as the best overall project/ runners up

     

    Entertainment Props -   Build props from your favorite TV, Movies, and games.  This could involve plenty of mechanical design work coupled with electronics.

    • what items would be fun to giveaway here  (something star wars or star trek related?)
    • what would you like to see as the best overall project/ runners up  (something star wars or star trek related?)

     

    'Oscillo-ception' - Use your scope or other test equipment with a display for something completely different.

    • what items would be fun to giveaway here
    • what would you like to see as the best overall project/ runners up  (guessing an oscilloscope?)

     

    Feel free to suggest any past themes and you'd like to revisit as well and what we could do for them as well.

  • in reply to tariq.ahmad

    Digital Fever : PSoC 4200PSoC 4200 This is a super low cost module with low learning curve programmable digital blocks and free comprehensive development tools. You don't need any other hardware (except a PC) to build custom hardware (and software). This is much more inclusive than a full FPGA module.

    Prize: Logic ProbeLogic Probe

     

    Cheer Us Up : DC motorsDC motors or servo motorsservo motors These are low cost, and motorized devices can be used for all kinds of wacky devices.

    Prize: Raspberry Pi Pico

     

    Photography : HQ Camera HQ Camera + 6-15mm lens6-15mm lens

    Prize : Raspberry Pi 4Raspberry Pi 4

     

    Electro-Mechanical Devices : DC motorDC motor or Stepper MotorStepper Motor

    Prize : digital calipersdigital calipers

     

    Entertainment Props : Glue GunGlue Gun + MagnifierMagnifier

    Prize : 3D printer3D printer

     

    'Oscillo-ception' : micro:bit V2micro:bit V2

    Prize : micro:bit V2micro:bit V2 because you need 2 to talk to each other

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