Machine Builder Competition

The Machine Builder Competition is an open challenge to design and build a machine that stands out for its innovation, functionality, and creativity. Whether it’s a robot solving everyday problems, an automated art installation, a unique mechanical device, or any other inventive machine, we want to see your best ideas come to life.

To help turn your vision into reality, we’ve partnered with some incredible brands providing the main development boards. Check out the Prize Categories below to see which hardware is available for each. A big thank you to Nordic and Particle for their support!

To qualify as a proper machine (in our opinion), the main electronics must be housed in an enclosure. To help you achieve the perfect design, we’ve partnered with Autodesk Fusion and PCBWay. You can create your own enclosure or use Fusion to design one and have PCBWay fabricate it.

Every accepted Hardware Request will receive up to $200 in PCBWay credits for CNC machining or 3D printing services. Let’s build something extraordinary!

HINT: if you include Fusion or PCBWay in your project you can earn up to 40 bonus judging points!

How to participate in this competition:

Step 1: Create a Hackster Project from your contest page dashboard, include a robust description of the machine you want to build. Please read the submission requirements and judging points criteria in the competition prize categories and specific rules carefully during your design phase.

Required in your application:

• Bill of Materials (BOM) - your hardware selections; bonus points for using of PCBWay CNC, 3D Printing, or PCB assembly services; bonus points for using Autodesk Fusion
• Design narrative in "Story" part of your Hackster Project
• Include your CAD drawings, block diagram(s) and layouts in the "Attachments" portion of your Hackster Project
• You are free to design in any software, but you will receive bonus points for using Autodesk Fusion and include it in your "Things" part of your Hackster Project.

Step 2: Submit your application using the "Apply for Hardware" tab, and fill out all the questions. Your hardware application will be judged by the quality of your schematic design.

Step 3: The judging committee will select up to 115 hardware application winners. Our judging committee consists of Hackster PRO members.

Step 4: Each winner will receive the nRF7002 DK, nRF9151 DK, Photon 2, Boron LTE-M (404X), Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi, and/or services worth up to $200 from PCBWay.

Step 5: Once you receive your hardware, bring your idea to life and document the process in your Hackster project. When your project is complete, submit it as an official entry for final judging.

Step 6: The judging committee will select the final winners based on the implementation documented in your Hackster Project.

Prizes

Machine Builder Grand Prize

The Grand Prize for the Machine Builder Competition will be awarded to the best overall machine project. It is open to all entries, there is no specific hardware needed, and it must be a machine of some sort.

1 winner

Machine Builder Grand Prize

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$3,707 value

The Grand Prize winning project for the Machine Builder Competition will receive the myCobot 280 Maximum Add-on Package, which includes:
- Elephant Robotics Compound Mobile Robot Kit: myAGV
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) 3D Vision Kit
- myCobot Flexible Gripper
- myCobot Pen Holder V2.0
- myCobot Suction Pump 2.0
- G Shape Base 2.0
- Connect 4 Games Kit For myCobot 280

The Swiss Army Knife Award

For the machine that’s so useful, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

NOTE: Your machine must include the nRF7002-DK in order to be considered for this award.

1 winner

The Swiss Army Knife Award Winner

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$849 value

Elephant Robotics myCobot 280 Jetson Nano 6 DOF Collaborative Robot (Jetson Nano Version)

The Most Likely to Attract Aliens Award

For the machine that looks like it could communicate with extraterrestrial life.

NOTE: Your machine must include the nRF9151 DK in order to be considered for this award.

1 winner

The Most Likely to Attract Aliens Winner

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$849 value

Elephant Robotics myCobot 280 Jetson Nano 6 DOF Collaborative Robot (Jetson Nano Version)

Most Likely to Start a Robot Uprising Award

For the machine that might just be a little too smart for our own good.

NOTE: Your machine must include the nRF7002-DK in order to be considered for this award.

1 winner

Most Likely to Start a Robot Uprising Award Winner

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$849 value

Elephant Robotics myCobot 280 Jetson Nano 6 DOF Collaborative Robot (Jetson Nano Version)

The Why Did You Even Build This? Award

For the overly complicated, useful machine that’s oddly captivating and mostly unnecessary in the way it gets to a solution.

NOTE: Your machine must include the Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi in order to be considered for this award.

1 winner

The Why Did You Even Build This? Award Winner

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$599 value

Elephant Robotics myCobot 280 for Arduino 6 DOF Collaborative Robot (for Arduino Version)

The Tiny & Shiny Award

For the smallest machine that proves size doesn’t matter when it comes to innovation. It wins hearts with charm and adorableness.

NOTE: Your machine must include the Particle Photon 2 in order to be considered for this award.

1 winner

The Tiny & Shiny Award Winner

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$799 value

Elephant Robotics myCobot 280 Raspberry Pi 2023 - 6 DOF Collaborative Robotic Arm ( Raspberry Pi Version)

Where Did It Go? Award

For the most creative remote tracking project. We do not what your typical asset tracker. We are looking for a truly unique project located in remote areas doing something epic!

NOTE: Your machine must include the Particle Boron in order to be considered for this award.

1 winner

Where Did It Go? Award Winner

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$799 value

Elephant Robotics myCobot 280 Raspberry Pi 2023 - 6 DOF Collaborative Robotic Arm ( Raspberry Pi Version)

Judges

The judging panel features an exclusive lineup of Hackster PRO contributors, bringing unparalleled insight and expertise to the competition.

Jeremy Cook is a Hackster News writer who spent over a decade in manufacturing automation. In addition to writing, he loves to experiment and build, creating everything from walking robots, to furniture, to custom printed circuit boards. When he’s not writing or making something, he enjoys spending time with his family outdoors near, on, and in the water where he lives in the Tampa, Florida area.

A programmer, AI consultant from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Roni Bandini is the founder of the Maker Counterculture Initiative. He focuses on researching and developing unconventional machines that push traditional boundaries.

Salman Faris is a passionate maker, electronics enthusiast from India. Working as a customer success professional at Screenly, he is also the co-founder of MakerGram, a community-driven platform that empowers makers and innovators through events, workshops, and hackathons, fostering collaboration and creativity.

Hendra Kusumah is a passionate lecturer, maker, and IoT developer based in Indonesia with over a decade of experience in education and technology. Currently serving as a lecturer and the secretary of the Sistem Komputer Study Program at Universitas Raharja, he has guided students to excel in various IT competitions and hackathons. Hendra is a skilled programmer and hardware tinkerer. As a Seeed Studio Ranger, he collaborates on innovative tech solutions and fosters developer communities. Hendra is also an accomplished speaker, sharing his expertise at events like PyCon and IoT focused conferences.

Kutluhan Aktar is a self-taught developer, product designer, and maker from Bursa, Turkey specializing in AIoT proof-of-concept projects across various domains. After leaving university to pursue independent research, he has developed numerous innovative projects and have been an active Hackster contributor. You can find his projects including an AI-based aquatic ultrasonic imaging and chemical water testing device, a GSM & SMS enabled AI-driven water pollution monitor, and an AI-assisted air quality monitor with IoT surveillance.

Resources