Eligibility

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

• You are at least 18 years of age.
• Your English proficiency is sufficient to understand basic instructions and information. This is necessary to ensure effective communication and participation in the activities.
• 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.io employee.
• You are not a resident of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, or Russia.

Note: US export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to the countries listed above; therefore, residents of these countries are not eligible to participate in this challenge.

Submission requirements

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

General Requirements

• You must be registered as a participant in this contest.
• Your entry must be your own original work.
• Your entry cannot have been used in any other Hackster.io contest.
• Your entry is individual (i.e., no team entry).

Hardware Application Requirements

If you choose to apply for free hardware, you must meet the following requirements. If not, continue to 'Hardware/Software Build Requirements' below.

• Your hardware application must be submitted via the online application form found on the contest page’s Apply for Hardware tab.
• Your hardware application must be written in English. If you are not fluent in English, you can write your application in your native language and use existing translation tools such as DeepL or Google Translate to translate it into the English langugage.
• Your hardware application must be your own original work (i.e., don't overuse ChatGPT, or similar, to generate your project).
• Your hardware application must solve a problem related to rehabilitation and assistive technology spaces.
• Your hardware application must be submitted by August 20, 2023, at 12:00 PM PT.

Note: US export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to certain destinations without authorization, therefore there may be limitations for residents in Egypt, Algeria, Venezuela, and other regions in receiving hardware shipments.

Hardware/Software Build Requirements

• You are free to use any hardware or combination of hardware components to create your project. Please note that the judging criteria for applications will not be based on the hardware used, so you are encouraged to utilize any hardware that best fits your project goals and objectives.
• You are also free to use the same hardware when you submit to two, or all three different themes.

Project Documentation Requirements

• Your project should include a project name, a short project description, a bill of materials (BOM), full instructions, images and videos, and relevant resource files (schematics, code, CAD).
• We highly value video demonstrations of the functioning product that effectively explain its features and capabilities.
• Your project must be written in English. If you are not fluent in English, you can first write your application in your native language, and then use existing translation tools.
• Your project must be your own original work. Refrain from using any AI chatbot.
• Your project must be submitted by November 30, 2023, at 12:00 PM PT.

Judging criteria

INNOVATION OF YOUR SOLUTION (75 points)

We foster out-of-the-box thinking, particularly in the realm of assistive technologies where innovation is crucial. Understanding the needs of Contest Masters through active interaction is essential for crafting effective innovations. We highly encourage engaging with Contest Masters to gain insight and refine your solution accordingly. Remember to continuously ask yourself the questions below during the contest. We suggest you to take personal notes as you will need to answer them when you submit your project. Here is how the 75 points will be allocated:

• IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS (10 points). Note, please copy-paste this question and answer it in the 'story' part of your submission. "What were the needs or pain points that you attended to and identified when you were solving problems faced by the Contest Masters?"
• INCLUSIVE INNOVATION (30 points). Showcase the profound impact of your product by demonstrating how it specifically caters to the needs of individuals with disabilities and effectively addresses the challenges they encounter. Clear and compelling explanations of how your innovation tackles these issues will be crucial in earning points in this category. Illuminate the transformative solutions your product offers, highlighting its potential to enhance accessibility and improve the lives of those with disabilities.
• PROJECT DOCUMENTATION, BOM, CODE & SCHEMATICS (25 points). Ask yourself "If I were a beginner trying to understand this project, would I understand how it works, for what purpose, and how to recreate it?". When you submit your project, to help us better understand your ideas, please focus on explaining the features and capabilities of your solution, as well as how it works. Show how you created your project, including BOM, images, screenshots, schematics, code and so on.
• VISUAL COMMUNICATION (10 points). We would love to see your solution in action! To better understand your project, please provide video(s) of your project. We particularly would love to see narrated video demonstration where you clearly showcase the features and benefits of your solution and highlight its unique qualities in addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities.

COLLABORATION ON DISCORD (25 points)

Collaboration is the beating heart of innovation, and we believe in its transformative power. As a participant, we want to witness your active involvement with Contest Masters and fellow contestants. Engaging deeply with the Contest Masters and your peers not only strengthens your solution but also enriches your overall experience. Throughout the contest, we will evaluate your collaboration based on various factors, including the number of reactions from your peers on your messages, the number of your reactions on your peers' messages, and the quality of the information you share. Don't hesitate to connect, offer assistance, and forge new friendships along the way - you never know where your next brilliant idea might originate! Let the spirit of collaboration ignite your path to unparalleled innovation!

REMINDERS

At the end of the contest, rewards will be given to participants who attain the highest overall grade in each of the three topics. A participant who submitted entries for multiple themes is eligible to receive rewards for each theme. Who knows? You could be the next big thing in your field and take home multiple rewards for your hard work and ingenuity!

The participant who achieves the highest overall score, calculated by summing up the scores in each of the three topics, will be honored with the prestigious 'Inclusive Innovation Challenge Ultimate Award'. You greatly increase your chances at the Ultimate Award by submitting a project for each theme.

In addition to the aforementioned rewards, participants who are building solutions in two or three themes will be randomly chosen to receive lucky draw prizes.

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”.
• EVERY DISCUSSION AND UPDATE WILL HAPPEN ON DISCORD. Log in or create a free account on discord.com/register. Please refrain from using the contest's discussion tab.
• GAIN ACCESS TO THE CONTEST DISCORD VIA THIS 1-MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE.

STEP 2: BUILD AND DOCUMENT YOUR PROJECT(S)

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

STEP 3: REVIEW AND SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT(S)

• Review your project(s) and make sure it meets all the submission requirements.
• Submit your project(s) on the contest page by November 30, 2023, at 12:00 PM PT by clicking “review and submit project” for each project you wish to submit.

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 the 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 and sponsored by ETH Zürich, Blues Wireless, Google Coral, PCBWay.com Limited, M5Stack Technology Co., Ltd., and Useful Sensors Inc. The object of this contest is to create hardware solutions for individuals with different types of disabilities, across three different themes (travelling, swimming, gaming). For the purposes of this contest, each idea you submit will be called a “hardware application” and 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. You are allowed to submit up to three entries, one for each theme.

What are the start and end dates?

The contest starts on July 20, 2023, at 8:00 AM PT and ends on November 30, 2023, at 12:00 PM PT and will consist of the following periods:

• The free hardware application deadline is August 20, 2023, at 12:00 PM PT.
• Contest projects submission period: July 20, 2023, at 8:00 AM PT through November 30, 2023, at 12:00 PM PT. This is the period during which you will interact with our Contest Masters. More details will be given in the Discord channels.
• Contest winners will be announced on December 20, 2023, at 5:00 PM PT.

Note: Contest end dates are at the sole discretion of Hackster.io and/or the contest sponsor and may be subject to change.

Can I enter?

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

• Your entry cannot have been used 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.

Hardware applications and/or project entries may NOT contain ANY of the following content:

• Content that is sexually explicit.
• Content that discriminates against individuals with disabilities.
• 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 promotes illegal drugs, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing) or a particular political agenda.
• Content that communicates messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill with which we wish to associate.
• Content that violates any law.

We reserve the right to reject an entry, in our sole and absolute discretion, that we determine contains any of the above content.

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?

No, only individual entries are accepted in this contest.

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.

How is free hardware awarded?

Limit one (1) giveaway per individual. 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 above. An application for free hardware cannot be altered or removed from the contest page after the submission deadline has passed. Hardware giveaways will be awarded on a rolling basis—submit your application early to improve your chances of being selected as a hardware recipient.

If you are a potential hardware recipient, we will notify you by sending a message to the e-mail address provided at the time of entry within fourteen (14) days following the completion of judging. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we may 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 may award it to another contest participant.
• You will be solely responsible for all applicable federal, state, and local taxes related to accepting the hardware if you choose to accept the hardware.
• 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.

Once the hardware leaves our warehouse, there is very little we can do to help locate lost or delayed shipments. Hackster.ioand 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.

If you are a potential winner, we will notify you by sending a message to the e-mail address, phone number, or mailing address (if any) provided at the time of entry within seven (7) days following the completion of judging. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we may award to a runner-up. If there is a dispute as to who is the potential winner, we will consider the potential winner to be the authorized account holder of the e-mail address used to enter the contest. You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services. However, if for any reason an advertised prize is unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. You may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we may award it to a runner-up. Unless otherwise noted, all prizes are subject to their manufacturer’s warranty and/or terms and conditions.

How will the content I share on Discord channels be handled?

As part of our commitment to participant rights, we would like to inform you that you have the option to delete your data and retract your consent at any time following a comprehensive debriefing of the experiment's details on Discord. We plan to conduct a content analysis of message threads to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying patterns and themes in knowledge sharing in online communities. To achieve this, we will employ various methods to analyze the content of these message threads. These methods will include quantitative techniques, such as frequency analysis to determine the most used words and phrases, sentiment analysis to assess the overall emotional tone of the messages, and thematic analysis to identify recurring themes and topics. If you require further information on this matter, please let us know, and we will provide you with a detailed explanation.

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 that Hackster.io’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to 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.

Whom do I contact about this contest?

If you have any questions or comments regarding this contest, please email us at cgrumbach@ethz.ch.