Sci Fi Your Pi Design Challenge Information

Sci Fi Your Pi Design Challenge   Challenger List   The Judges   Kit List   Overview Video   Terms and Conditions

“Making Science out of Science Fiction”

Background

element14 has been inviting engineers to build the applications of the future for some time: in the 2013 “Smarter Life” challenge, inventors were tasked with creating with smarter homes.  Through the challenges utilising Wireless Power and Energy Harvesting, engineers were encouraged to experiment with new, more accessible and greener means of powering applications.  Most recently, challenges have involved use of the Internet of Things, which allows for inventions that make better decisions (i.e., when to feed the cat or wake someone up) automatically based upon connected data, and thus enable greater efficiency and convenience.

As time has gone on, the tools for building advanced technology solutions have continued to lower in price; one of the most prominent innovations was the creation of the Raspberry Pi.  From a software and infrastructure perspective, open source solutions such as Eclipse’s Internet of Things platform are also now available.   We are now ready to challenge engineers to build creations that were once only the province of movies, novels and comic books, and deploy applications which once would have been considered “indistinguishable from magic”, thus making science out of what was once science fiction.

Concept

The element14 members are being challenged to create applications that inspired them from science fiction: the inspiration could arise from a movie, television programme, novel, comic book or even a radio show.  Potential challengers will be required to detail not only the application they wish to build but also the source of their inspiration.

Each challenger will be given a Raspberry Pi and a complete suite of Accessories to execute on their projects.

Project examples:

1. An automated quadcopter– which scans an area and creates alerts when necessary.   (thus bringing to life some of the functionality from devices such as the “Hunter Seeker” from Frank Herbert’s “Dune”)
2. An auto-lockdown gated system—which responds to weather conditions and secures its environment, a la Jurassic Park.
3. A medical scanning device – used in conjunction with wearable technology, which can provide an accurate assessment of someone’s vital signs quickly. (thus bringing to life some of the functionality from devices the “Tricorder” from “Star Trek”)
4. An environmental control system that responds to voice commands – thus bringing to life some of the functionality from Hal 9000” in “2001: A Space Odyssey” (albeit without negative consequences).
5. An intelligent motion tracker – which can “see” in the dark (rather like the devices used by the Colonial Marines in “Aliens” or P. K. E. Meter from GhostBusters)

Timeline:

• Recruitment Opens: 14^th March
• Recruitment Closes: 12^th April
• Challenges Announcement: 21^st April
• Final Submission: 28^th August
• Winner Announced: No later than the second week of October

Challengers’ Kit List

Note: this kit is subject to change based upon compatibility & availability.

The challengers should also receive –

• A license for CadSoft EAGLE.

Prizes

Grand Prize:

Star Wars - Ep V - The Empire Strikes Back - Don Post Deluxe Boba Fett Helmet #2

Community Choice Prize: Selection of Electronics Goodies TBC