Free Hardware for Hacking. With a Catch.

bruce.gettel wrote 11/24/2014 at 03:10 3 points

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here to hackaday.io and have been a stalker over at hackaday.com for a few years now. The talent, creativity, and genius of the folks who end up on Hackaday is absolutely amazing.

I'm here on the Stack because I have some cool hardware that needs a good home. I'm giving it away, but as the title says, there's a catch.

First, the hardware.

What I have are some pieces of hardware made by Vocera (www.vocera.com). Vocera makes a communications "badge" that is worn around the neck and requires few if any button presses to operate. Effectively, it is a very small, largely-voice-commanded speaker phone that is worn on one's person.

I have this hardware in my possession via a previous sales job. I used to demo / sell this stuff to hospitals until Vocera changed its business model and started selling / leasing direct to its customers. Vocera didn't want it back, my employer said to toss it, but I couldn't do it.

I have four (4) Vocera Communicator badges (first generation) with rechargeable batteries, three (3) silicone badge protectors, three (3) charging stations, and a few lanyards for carrying the badges around your neck. And that's all I have.

As soon as I figure out how to add my pictures to this Stack post, I'll put them up. I can also email them to whomever asks.

The Vocera system requires proprietary software that I do not have and cannot get my hands on. So to even use this hardware in its original form and intended function is impossible for me. But I'm sure there's someone out there that can do something with it.

And now, the catch.

I will give all this stuff to the person that contacts me with the most compelling reason as to why he or she deserves it. "Compelling" doesn't necessarily mean "coolest idea", but that of course wins points. Maybe you DO have the coolest idea. Maybe you have some intriguing personal reason for wanting or needing this stuff. Maybe you know someone else, that's not a regular HAD visitor, that should have these toys.

So - email me at bruce.gettel@gmail.com and take your best shot to convince me that you should have this stuff. Please put "HAD Stack" in the subject field so I don't miss your email.

Emails received before midnight December 31 are in the running. I'll review them all and make a decision / ship the product sometime in January of the new year.

I look forward to hearing from you!

BG