Group Actions
Engagement
  • Author Author: spannerspencer
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Views 3838 views
  • Likes 13 likes
  • Comments 54 comments
Related
Recommended

Year of the Monkey Badge: Hong Bao

spannerspencer

81ZmDPq.jpgCelebrate Chinese New Year with element14!

 

Day Two: Hong Bao

 

Nimen hao! As we draw another day closer to the Chinese New Year, we're ready with our second look at how electronics engineers and makers can get the most out of the Far Eastern festivities.

 

And as you know, it's the Year of the Monkey, so in order to win our time-limited badge, all you need to do is stop by to read and comment on each of our New Year blogs. The badge will only be available to earn until February 23, after which you'll have to wait 12 years before it comes up again (given the cycle of the Chinese zodiac).

 

Money Makers

0023ae606e840eb5f43f52.jpgGiving money as a present is quite normal in China, and it tends to be handed over in small, vividly decorated red envelopes called hong bao ("red treasures"). If anyone out there hates shopping as much as I do, the notion of adopting hong bao as a valid gift option will sound pretty appealing.

 

Anyway, shopping aversions aside, the practice of giving hong bao made us wonder if this was a tradition that could inspire the innovation that synonymous with the Year of the Monkey. For today's addition to your badge earning efforts, we're looking for great projects or concepts that revolve around money, gifts and payments.

 

It could be as simple as a motorised piggy bank, or as complex as a Bitcoin mining BeagleBone Black. Whatever your idea is, just remember to harness your inner monkey and (mischievously) blow our minds!

Top Comments

  • The first thing that pops up in my mind with this is Element 14 creating a "hong bao" gift card!  Perhaps in a Raspberry shape?  :-)

     

    Another idea would be using some of this really cool BLE technology and new products to perhaps work up a bitcoin wallet that can be carried easily.

  • in reply to dougw

    In the USA since the GFC isn't that subtract interest?

    The idea of the monies received from the red packet shouldn't be tracked.

    It's the very thought of receiving a red packet that counts!

    In the days before commercialisation I used to receive silver coins wrapped in red crepe paper.

    Not bank sponsored envelopes.

  • Along the theme of encouraging kids to save, how about a smart piggy bank that dispenses interest. It would need to recognize the amount and time of each deposit, calculate interest on a schedule, and top up the internal totals with interest payments. Some sort of display would be needed, or a bluetooth app. The device could be made to look like an ATM. Interest rates and schedules could be on a timetable more geared to the attention span of kids. The currency or perhaps just the interest could be anything valuable to kids - candy, money, marbles  .....

  • in reply to clem57

    You're correct that it doesn't happy on Chinese New Year but the dates one visits the cemetery depends upon the area you are from.

    We're celebrating Chinese New Year with a multiple course banquet including Lobster, abalone, nasty rehydrated monster oysters and other traditional faire (including rehydrated seaweed that looks and tastes like cooked black chinese hair)!

    All the nasty stuff originates from the days before refrigeration.

  • I would like to make a program for gift organization and tracking how much money you have spent for the gift and who you have/will give that gift to!

    It would have use a digital screen with a picture of the gift unwrapped and wrapped. as sometimes I  forget what I am giving after it is wrapped up.