Make it Matter!

If you are a winner, we will contact you directly via email to arrange the shipment of your prize.

Participants who receive free hardware and do not submit a project may be ineligible for future giveaways unless the hardware is returned.

If you receive free hardware and become unable to submit a project, please contact us at help@hackster.io and let us know as soon as possible. We may choose to arrange for the hardware to be shipped to another participant.

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.
• Your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other Hackster contest.
• Your team is no more than 5 members per entry.*

*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)

Hardware Application Requirements

Note: If you choose to submit an application 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.
• Your hardware application must use the nRF7002 Development Kit
• Your hardware application must solve a problem related to smart home and Matter protocol.
• Your hardware application must be submitted by Sep 29, 2023 at 12:00 PM PT.

Hardware/Software Build Requirements

• Your project must be created using the Matter protocol
• Your project must be created using the nRF7002 DK, Nordic Thingy:53 or the nRF5340 Development Kit
• Your project must be a smart home solution

Project Documentation Requirements

• Your project must include a project name, short 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 Jan 14, 2024 at 10:00 PM PT.

Your project will be judged according to the rubric below.

• Project Documentation (30 points)
  Story/Instructions - Show how you created your project, including images, screenshots, and/or a video demonstration of your solution working as intended. Ask yourself: “If I were a beginner reading this project, would I understand how to recreate it?”
• Complete BOM (10 points)
  Detail the hardware, software and/or tools used.
• Schematics (10 points)
  Draw your circuit diagrams using software like Fritzing.org and/or take detailed photographs.
• Code & Contribution (20 points)
  Include working code with helpful comments.
• Creativity (30 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)

• 1st Place: $2000 virtual gift card + Nordic Swag
• 2nd Place: $500 virtual gift card + Nordic Swag
• 3rd Place: $300 virtual gift card + Nordic Swag

• T-shirt, swag and surprise hardware ($100 value) (10 are available)

• Smart Home Hub ($500 value)

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”.

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 Jan 14, 2024 at 10:00 PM PT by clicking “review and submit project” on the contest page.

Free devices winners will be announced by October 5, 2023. The list of winners will be visible on the Apply for hardware tab.

Contest winners will be announced on February 6, 2024. The list of winners will be visible on the main page (Contest brief).

You are eligible to enter if you meet the following requirements at time 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 a resident of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, or Syria
  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.
• 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.

No, nRF7002 DK, nRF5340 DK or Thingy:53 cannot act as a Matter controller, hub or gateway. They can be used to implement Matter accessory devices.

The best place to start is with one of the Matter samples in the nRF Connect SDK.

1. Install the nRF Connect SDK by following this guide: nRF Connect SDK installation.
2. Find a sample you want to test out under nRF Connect SDK - Matter samples and follow the instructions there for building and testing.
3. Set up your test environment. You can choose between using CHIP Tool for Linux/macOS as controller or using a commercial ecosystem. Here are some guides for the two options:
CHIP Tool

• Matter over Thread: Configuring Border Router and Linux/macOS controller on separate devices
• Matter over Thread: Configuring Border Router and controller on one device
• Matter over Wi-Fi: Configuring CHIP Tool for Linux or macOS

Commercial ecosystems

• Matter: Testing the nRF Connect platform with Apple, Google and Samsung ecosystems

The recommended approach is to set up the Matter controller (CHIP Tool) on a separate device from the device running the Thread Border Router, but if you only have one device you can set up the Matter controller on the same device as the Thread Border Router.

Border Router and Matter controller on separate devices:

• PC with Linux or macOS.
  Recommended:
  Ubuntu 20.04 or newer
  macOS Catalina 10.15 or newer.
• Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ or newer (along with an SD card with at least 8 GB of memory)
• Wi-Fi Access Point supporting IPv6 (without the IPv6 Router Advertisement Guard enabled on the router)
• nRF52840 DK or nRF52840 Dongle - for the Radio Co-Processor (RCP) device

For more information, see Matter over Thread: Configuring Border Router and Linux/macOS controller on separate devices.

Border Router and Matter controller on the same device:

• One of the following:
  • PC with Linux or macOS.
    Recommended:
    Ubuntu 20.04 or newer
    macOS Catalina 10.15 or newer.
  • Raspberry Pi Model 3B+ or newer with Ubuntu (20.04 or newer) instead of Raspbian OS
• Bluetooth LE dongle (can be embedded inside the PC, like it is on Raspberry Pi)
• nRF52840 DK or nRF52840 Dongle - for the Radio Co-Processor (RCP) device

For more information, see Matter over Thread: Configuring Border Router and controller on one device.

Note: CHIP Tool is not supported on Windows.

• PC with Linux or macOS.
  Recommended:
  Ubuntu 20.04 or newer
  macOS Catalina 10.15 or newer.
• Wi-Fi Access Point supporting IPv6 (without the IPv6 Router Advertisement Guard enabled on the router)

For more information, see Matter over Wi-Fi: Configuring CHIP Tool for Linux or macOS.

Note: CHIP Tool is not supported on Windows.

You can use a PC with CHIP Tool for Linux or macOS as Matter controller, or you can use a commercial ecosystem such as Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings or Amazon Alexa. For information on how to use CHIP Tool, see Testing Matter in the nRF Connect SDK.

The physical size of the nRF7002 DK is 136.53 x 63.5 mm. The height is approximately 14 mm. See nRF7002DK_dimensions for hardware drawings with the dimensions.