The COVID-19 Detect & Protect Challenge

The challenge

THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME CENTRE FOR TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCES THE COVID-19 DETECT AND PROTECT CHALLENGE.

The UNDP is calling on Hackster's global community to support developing countries through the sharing and transfer of open source technology. This challenge has three priority actions:

• Design replicable, low-cost tools and resources to aid viral detection
• Flatten the curve in communities with preventive solutions
• Reduce the disease's impact on the economies of these vulnerable areas

This extraordinary global situation demands a global response. As an answer, the UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation, and Sustainable Development and Hackster.io are joining forces with the world’s brightest technology companies. We are calling on hardware and software developers, product designers, scientists, hackers, makers, and innovators to come together to work for those who will be hardest hit by this pandemic.

As COVID-19 has shown, challenge and crisis cross borders – impacting everywhere on Earth. However, innovation and ingenuity are also not constrained by geography. The COVID-19 Detect and Protect Challenge is an opportunity to find and apply the best and brightest of humanity, wherever it may be found.

• The deadline for entries is June 30th and will be extended only if necessary.
• Qualified submissions will be fully shared and open throughout the contest.
• Project teams are welcomed and not limited to any number.
• We are seeking open source ideas that are easy to use, build, replicated, and iterated.
• Hackster and UNDP will work with at-risk communities to deliver the hardware, services, tools, materials, and funding they need to bring some of the best ideas to life.

Detect

Harness your skills to aid citizens and healthcare providers with everyday tools that support the diagnosis of the coronavirus and future outbreaks. Computer vision thermometers, smart oximeters, cloud-based heatmaps and apps, data science-backed insight, open-source hardware, or advanced computational models — all are welcome.

Protect

Imagine and invent apparatuses that help slow down the spread of the disease. 3D-printable protective equipment, easy-to-assemble hand sanitizing dispensers, public alerts, mass broadcasting tools, contamination monitoring, rapid face mask production with advanced or everyday materials — there are no limits.

This challenge was made possible by our extraordinary partners. Thank you!

Follow this challenge on Twitter for the latest news #COVID19DetectProtect

Prizes

Grand Prize Winners

10 winners

The Global UNDP Innovator Award

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$1,500 value

UNDP recognition badge and certificate, NXP HoverGames drone and telemetry radio, and $1,000 Visa gift card

Impact Prize - Bonus

Our judges and Co-Sponsors have been so impressed by the record-breaking number of submissions, we wanted to ensure there were more chances for the best projects to be recognized. We've added 10 more prizes focused on General Impact!

10 winners

Impact Prize - Bonus

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$300 value

Each winner will receive a balenaFin developer kit, Soracom Global SIM card with $50 in credits, and a $100 electronic VISA gift card.

The Hackster Impact Detect Award

10 winners

The Hackster Impact Detect Award

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$500 value

A Hackster Impact recognition badge, an NVIDIA Jetson Kit, a Soracom Global SIM card with $50 in credits, and a $100 Visa gift card.

The Hackster Impact Protect Award

10 winners

The Hackster Impact Protect Award

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$500 value

A Hackster Impact recognition badge, Coral Dev Board from Google, a Soracom Global SIM card with $50 in credits, and a $100 Visa gift card.

Judges

Limor “Ladyada” Fried - Founder and CEO, Adafruit

Massimo Banzi - Co-Founder, Arduino

Wienke Giezeman - CEO & Co-founder, The Things Industries

Janine Civitate - Policy Specialist: Community and Network Management, UNDP

Eric Wong - Internal Medicine Physician, Suburban Community Hospital

Bradley Busetto - Director, UNDP Global Centre on Tech, Innovation and Sustainability

Calum Handforth - Digitalization and Smart Cities Advisor, UNDP

Fran Baker - Social Innovation, Partnerships, Technology & Sustainability, ARM

Kiki Karakatsani - Global IoT Sales & Marketing Leader, Microsoft

Zach Shelby - Co-founder and CEO, Edge Impulse

Scott Miller - CEO, Dragon Innovation & Partner, BOLT

Ben Strahan - Global Marketing Strategist, SORACOM

Kalyan Vadrevu - Developer Marketing Manager, NVIDIA

Resources

About us