The COVID-19 Detect & Protect Challenge
The COVID-19 Detect & Protect Challenge
This contest is over! See all the winning entries. Want more chances to win prizes? Check out our active contests.

Specific Contest Rules

Eligibility

You are eligible to enter if you meet the following requirements at thetime of entry:

  • You are at least 13 years of age
    If you are 12 years or younger, you must receive a legal guardian's permission and have them complete Hackster’s contest permission form prior to submitting an entry into this contest. Send any questions to contests@hackster.io.
  • You are not involved in the execution or administration of this contest.
  • You are not an immediate family member or household member of a Hackster employee.

Submission requirements

To be eligible for judging, you must meet ALL of the following requirements unless otherwise stated:

General Requirements

  • You must be registered as a participant for this contest.
  • Your entry must be your own original work. Learn more about copyright and open-source guidelines.
  • Your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other Hackster contest.
  • Your team can be of any size.
  • Your project must be a/an easy-to-replicate, low-cost open-source solution to detect or protect Covid-19 in developing countries.

*By entering a submission to this contest on behalf of a team, you acknowledge that you are the designated representative authorized to act on behalf of your team. (See full rules below for details)

Project Documentation Requirements

  • Your project must include a project name, project description, cover image, bill of materials (BOM), full instructions, images, and relevant resource files (schematics, code, CAD).
  • Your project must be written in English.
  • Your project must be submitted by Jul 15, 2020 at 11:59 PM PT.

Judging criteria

Impact (25 points)

Does your solution have the potential to help reduce the overall impact of COVID-19 on communities? Does it translate to real-world benefits, particularly in developing country contexts, supporting governments or individuals to help mitigate the spread and severity of COVID-19? Our panel of expert judges with backgrounds in technology transfer, medicine, manufacturing, international development, and innovation will consider the benefits of your solution to at-risk and developing regions.

Viability/ Deployability (25 points)

Consider the cost, scalability of your project. Is it replicable, low cost, and easy to use? Think, can this solution be deployed and manufactured to the most at-risk regions? Will your solution require resources on the ground in deployed areas (3D printers, cellular networks)? Is it easy to use? The closer you can get your project to an all-inclusive, turnkey solution, the better.

Project Story/Instructions (20 points)
Show how you created your project, including images, screenshots, and/or a video demonstration of your solution working as intended. Ask yourself: “Could someone in the field understand how to replicate your project from reading your instructions?”. The ability to recreate, manufacture, and ship your design is crucial to helping the affected regions.

Documentation (10 points)

Include working code, CAD files, design files, schematics and/or additional documentation.

Creativity (10 points)
Your idea doesn’t have to be original, but it should be creative (a fresh take on an old idea is often worth as much as a brand new idea).

Open Source Assessment (10 points)

Is your project fully open source? Because we want these solutions to be easily and quickly reproduced en masse, your solution must not include proprietary software or hardware that is difficult or expensive to obtain and/or use. Do you anticipate data protection issues or data privacy complications? Imagine your solution being implemented in a region with little ability to regulate proprietary software and/or hardware.

How to enter

Step 1: Register for the Contest

  • Start by creating a free account on Hackster.io (or sign-in if already a member).
  • Register for the contest by clicking “Register as a participant” on the contest page.

Step 2: Build and Document Your Project

  • Build your project according to the submission requirements.
  • Document your project build using Hackster’s project template. To create a new project, click “create new project” on the contest page or the “+” symbol in the top right corner of your Hackster page.

Step 3: Review and submit your project

  • Review your project and make sure it meets all the submission requirements.
  • Upload a previously created project by clicking “add existing project” on the contest page.
  • Submit your project by Jul 15, 2020 at 11:59 PM PT by clicking “review and submit project” on the contest page.

Full rules

Common terms used in these rules

These are the full rules that govern how the contest will operate. In these rules, “we,” “our”, and “us” refer to Hackster and/or the contest host. “You” and “yourself” refer to an eligible contest participant. The full rules also include all above eligibility, requirements, and judging criteria recorded in the “rules” tab of this contest page.

Contest description:

This is a skill-based contest brought to you by Hackster.io. The objective of this contest is to create open source project tutorials and solutions for detecting and protecting against COVID-19 in the developing world. For the purposes of this contest, each project you submit in the contest will be called an “entry”. All eligible entries received will be judged using the judging criteria above to determine the final prize winners.

What are the start and end dates?

Contest begins collecting project submissions on April 14, 2020 and ends at Jul 15, 2020 at 11:59 PM PT. Contest end dates are at the sole discretion of Hackster and/or the contest sponsor(s) and may be subject to change.

Can I enter?

If your participation violates ANY of the following, you may be disqualified.

  • Your entry must be your own original work.
  • Your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other Hackster contest.
  • You must have obtained any and all consents, approvals or licenses required for you to submit your entry.
  • Your entry may not include any third party trademarks (logos, names) or copyrighted materials (music, images, video, recognizable people, code, schematics etc...) unless you have obtained permission to use the materials.
  • Your entry must comply with your employer’s gift policies.

Project entries may NOT contain ANY of the following content:

  • Content that is sexually explicit.
  • Content that is unnecessarily violent or derogatory of any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional or age group.
  • Content that is profane or pornographic.
  • Content that promotes illegal drugs, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing) or a particular political agenda.
  • Content that is obscene or offensive.
  • Content that defames, misrepresents or contains disparaging remarks about other people or companies.
  • Content that communicates messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or good will to which we wish to associate.
  • Content that violates any law.

We reserve the right to reject an entry, in our sole and absolute discretion.

Important note about Copyright: Your entire entry must only include material (including hardware, source code – both open source and third-party sourced, user interface, music, video or images) that you own or that you have permission from the copyright/trademark owner to use. Your and/or your team’s entry may not include copyrighted materials (such as source code, user interface, background music, images or video) unless you own or have permission to use the materials. Ownership is not defined as purchasing a CD at a music store for replay, if playing a copyrighted recording on your guitar or repurposing an application’s user interface – your entry may be disqualified if copyrighted materials, including but not limited to these examples, are a part of your entry without appropriate licensing or permissions.

If you do use permissible copyrighted materials, you must include the permissions information by citing the artist/creator and license information. Note that even material released under sites such as Creative Commons, common open source code licenses, and other similar licensing may need permission or acknowledgment as per the specific license.

Can I enter this contest as a team?

You can enter as a team of no more than five members.

The following requirements must be satisfied to participate in this contest as a team:

  • Your team must choose one individual (the “representative”) to speak for, act, and enter a project submission on behalf of your team.
  • Each individual team member must meet ALL of the eligibility and contest requirements outlined in the full rules.

How will my entry be potentially used?

Other than what is set forth below, we are not claiming any ownership rights to your entry. However, by submitting your entry, you agree to ALL of the following statements:

  • You grant us an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to: (i) use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyze your entry and all its content in connection with this contest; and (ii) feature your entry and all content in connection with the marketing, sale, or promotion of this contest (including but not limited to internal and external sales meetings, conference presentations, tradeshows, and screenshots of this contest entry in press releases) in all media (now known or later developed).
  • You agree to sign any necessary documentation that may be required for us and our designees to make use of the rights you granted above.
  • You understand that after the submission deadline has passed, any project that has been submitted to the contest cannot be deleted or made private and will remain on the contest page after the contest has concluded.
  • You understand and acknowledge that the sponsor(s) may have developed or commissioned materials similar or identical to your submission and you waive any claims you may have resulting from any similarities to your entry.
  • You understand that you will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these full rules.

Please note that following the end of this contest your entry may be posted on a website selected by us for viewing by visitors to that website. We are not responsible for any unauthorized use of your entry by visitors to this website. While we reserve these rights, we are not obligated to use your entry for any purpose, even if it has been selected as a winning entry. If you do not want to grant us these rights to your entry, please do not enter this contest.

If applicable, how is free hardware awarded?

Limit one (1) giveaway per person or team. The decisions of Hackster and our sponsors are final and binding. Hackster and/or the contest host hold the right to award less hardware than displayed if there are not a sufficient number of eligible hardware applications received. To be eligible for free hardware you must meet the hardware application requirements. An application for free hardware cannot be altered or removed from the contest page after the submission deadline has passed.

If you are a potential hardware recipient, we will notify you by sending a message to the e-mail address provided at time of entry within seven (7) days following completion of judging. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we reserve the right to award the hardware to another contest participant.

If you are confirmed as a free hardware recipient of this contest, the following rules apply:

  • You may not designate someone else as the winner of the hardware. If you are unable or unwilling to accept the free hardware, we reserve the right to award to another participant or not distribute the hardware at all.
  • By accepting the free hardware, you are entering into a contract with Hackster stating that you will build, document, and submit a project to the contest by the contest deadline. If, for any reason, you cannot complete a project with the hardware you have received, you must inform us at contests@hackster.io and may be asked to return the hardware. If you do not submit a project and do not return the hardware you may be ineligible for future hardware giveaways.
  • If you are 12 or younger, we may send the hardware to your parent/legal guardian on your behalf.

Once the hardware leaves our warehouse, there is very little we can do to help locate lost or delayed shipments. Hackster and contest hosts cannot be held liable for any shipments that do not arrive or are delayed, and are under no obligation to replace lost shipments or missing or broken parts. If you have questions regarding your shipment, please contact us at contests@hackster.io. Unless otherwise noted, all hardware giveaways are subject to their manufacturer’s warranty and/or terms and conditions.

How are prizes awarded?

Limit one (1) prize per person or team. In the event of a tie between any eligible entries, an additional judge will break the tie based on the judging criteria described above. The decisions of the judges are final and binding. If we do not receive a sufficient number of entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion, select fewer winners than the number of contest prizes described in the contest brief.

How are winners notified?

All prize winners will be notified by the e-mail linked to their Hackster user account within seven (7) days following the winner announcement. Prize winner must respond to the email notification within five (5) business days providing any required information. If a prize winner fails to respond to the email notification within five (5) business days, any email notification is returned as undeliverable or we determine, in our sole reasonable discretion, that the prize winner has breached these rules and/or is not eligible in accordance with these rules that prize winner will be disqualified, the prize will not be awarded. All prize winners consent to use of his/her name, video, biographical information, and submitted form information in advertising worldwide without additional compensation.

In order to facilitate prize distribution, we may require you to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability/Publicity Release and/or a W-9 tax form or W-8 BEN tax form within 10 days of notification. If you complete a tax form, you will be issued an IRS Form 1099 the following January for the actual value of the prize. You are advised to seek independent counsel regarding the tax implications of accepting a prize. If you are 18 or older, but are considered a minor in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent or legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf. If you do not complete the required forms as instructed and/or return the required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you.

Prize winners agree that all prizes are provided “as is”, and Hackster and contest hosts make no warranty, representation or guarantee regarding any prize, including but not limited to its quality, condition, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

No transfer, substitution, or cash redemption of prizes is permitted, except at Administrator’s sole discretion or as otherwise provided in these Official Terms and Conditions. We reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if prize becomes unavailable due to reasons beyond our control. You may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we reserve the right to keep the prize or award to another participant.

If a prize is awarded to a project submitted by a team, the designated representative will be the sole recipient of said prize, unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the representative and his/her team.

If you win a prize that violates import regulations for your county, you must complete this form within 10 days of receiving confirmation of your winning entry to 1) receive a virtual Visa/Mastercard gift card with the equivalent value of the prize OR 2) provide an alternative shipping address to send the prize.

Unless otherwise noted, all prizes are subject to their manufacturer’s warranty and/or terms and conditions.

What other conditions am I agreeing to by entering?

By entering this contest you are agreeing to the following statements:

  • You agree to abide by these full rules.
  • You agree to abide by the policies outlined on Hackster’s website, including our Terms of Service, Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy.
  • You agree to release and hold harmless Hackster, Avnet, Arduino, ARM, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Edge Impulse, NXP, Nordic Semiconductors, The Things Network and the UNDP and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this contest, or any prize won.
  • You agree that your personal data including your name, email address, personal address, phone number, and any other personal information disclosed during the duration of this contest may be shared with and used by all contest hosts in order to facilitate the execution of this contest.
  • You agree that the the contest hosts' decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this contest.
  • You agree that, by accepting a prize, Hackster may use your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this contest, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

What laws govern the way this contest is executed and administered?

This contest will be governed by the laws of the State of California, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of California for any disputes arising out of this contest.

What if something unexpected happens and the contest can not run as planned?

If someone cheats, or a virus, bug, bot, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and/or integrity of this contest, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this contest. This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the contest, we reserve the right to select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the contest.

If you attempt, or we have strong reason to believe that you have compromised the integrity or the legitimate operation of this contest by cheating, hacking, creating a bot or other automated program, or by committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may disqualify you, and ban you from participating in any of our future contests.

Who do I contact about this contest?

If you have any questions or comments regarding this contest, please email us at contests@hackster.io.