About this Challenge | Dates | The Judges | The Kit | The Prizes | Technical Resources | Example Application | Terms & Conditions | The Challengers | Winners
Join us in collaboration with Arduino to Design For A Cause.
Closing Dates Update:
A few Challengers have reached out as they are just finishing off projects.
We will be accepting blogs and entry until end of 4th of June 2021.
The Challenge
50 Challengers
5 Blogs each
1 Cause close to their hearts
In 2019 we ran the ‘Design for a Cause' Challenge with Arduino, creating assistive technologies for people living with physical or mental impairments. Community members help their local causes by building projects ranging from the Smart Cane for the visually impaired to a fully functional Smart Trike for a loved one.
The element14 Community is pleased to introduce the next Design For a Cause 2021 Challenge, where thanks to Arduino 50 sponsored Challengers will receive the Arduino Nano 33 IoT for free.
Once again, Arduino is challenging Community members to design the most creative, and altruistic solution for times of duress and global disasters. You can build a project to combat global droughts, flooding, world hunger, micro plastics, issues with long term COVID-19 Symptoms, or aid others with their day-to-day struggles.
For a chance to win one of the prizes below, you must blog your build process and the final outcome of your projects within the Design for a Cause 2021 Challenge space using the Arduino Nano 33 IoT.
What Can I Build?
You can build anything you want, as long as it helps a "Cause" close to your heart, uses the Arduino Nano 33 IoT, and make your code and designs Public after you are done.
Example applications could include:
- Micro Plastic Monitoring Buoy
- Open Source Security System
- Cheap Replacement System
- Cheap Mobile Refrigerator for Vaccine distribution
- Pest control system
- Aids for those with Long COVID-19 symptoms
- Safer cooking options for people with sight impairments
- Mobility Aids
- Open Source Electric Wheelchair Conversion kit
| The Kit | The Specs |
|---|---|
Arduino Nano 33 IoT
Buy NowBuy Now | The board's main processor is a low power Arm The WiFi and Bluetooth On top of those, secure communication is ensured through the Microchip Besides that, you can find a 6 axis IMU, what makes this board perfect for simple vibration alarm systems, pedometers, relative positioning of robots, etc
IoT support for:
|
Be Rewarded on the Community
For entering and taking part in the Design Challenge competition, you'll be rewarded the following badges:
 | Apply to join the Design Challenge and receive a badge and points for applying! Make sure you've thought your application through, made it original and your own work. If you are building upon someone else's work, make sure you cite your sources. Direct copies of work will not be accepted. |
 | Post your first blog! We expect updates on how your Design Challenge project is going, so don't hold back, tell us your thoughts, difficulties, and how you're progressing. Remember you're assessed based upon your updates, and don't be afraid - other challengers and members are there to help you with any problems you have, and it helps the staff to keep an eye on you! |
 | 5 blogs! Wow, has it really been that long? We hope you'll keep us updated about your project at least once every two weeks, for 10 weeks. We'll not be impressed if you only put a one-liner in there, that's what messages are for. Blogs are to make sure you're giving us all of the juicy detail, trials and tribulations of what's going on, and it keeps everyone honest! |
 | Even if you're not a challenger in the Design Challenge, we appreciate every member who joins in and gives a helping hand to applicants and members. If your messages are found to be helpful, we want to acknowledge that and reward you! |
Need help? Comment and read the resources below:
Technical Resources:
Technical Specs
https://store.arduino.cc/arduino-nano-33-iot
Schematics PDF
https://content.arduino.cc/assets/NANO33IoTV2.0_sch.pdf
Eagle Files (ZIP)
https://content.arduino.cc/assets/Nano33IoT.zip
Micro Controller Datasheet
https://content.arduino.cc/assets/mkr-microchip_samd21_family_full_datasheet-ds40001882d.pdf
Project Phases | Dates |
|---|---|
| Applications Open | 18th December 2020 |
| Applications Close | 15th Feb 2021 |
| Challengers Announced | 4th March 2021 |
| Kit Shipping Period | 4th - 18th March 2021 |
| Build Period | 18th March - 27th May 2021 |
Projects Due | Closing Dates Update: We will be accepting blogs and entry until end of 4th of June 2021. |
| Winners Announced | 4th June 2021 |
| Prizes Shipped | ~ June 2021 |
* Revised dates on 4th March 2021
*Or local equivalent
| Arduino Technical Judge Team |  |
| element14 Community Judges element14 Community Team |  |
Selected official applicants will be chosen to receive the "Kit" listed above. These successful applicants will be our sponsored challengers, and they must use the Arduio Nano IoT 33 within their project, and Publish their final Code and Designs on the element14 Community for others to use. Those not chosen as sponsored challengers may also join the competition, but they must base their projects around the kit listed above and adhere to all terms and conditions of the challenge.
They need to post their progress and final project as at least 5 blog posts before the closing date when projects are due. Posts which are media rich with photos, videos, and code samples will be viewed more favorably in the judging process.
Please read the full terms and conditions of the challenge, attached below.
Ready to join the challenge? Then Apply Here
If you are not successful in becoming a sponsored challenger but still want to enter, all you need to do is use the Kit as described above in your project and adhere to the same Terms and Conditions for a chance to be our winner! Non sponsored challengers are eligible for the Finisher and Winner Prizes as well.
 | Design for a Cause 2021 Terms and Conditions v2.pdf |
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