I like Brian Benchoff's suggestion of the prize will be *making something* with the full resources of staff, parts, and equipment of a hackerspace near you (or some cool location).
How about having the prize themed towards developing nations? Then the winner gets a trip to Africa for a week or two that is part holiday, part helping out as their idea is put into practise. I think there would be nothing better as a prize winner than seeing someone with $$ and resources put my idea into practice and start making a difference :)
Of course, nice equipment as prizes will never go amiss. Suggestion though: offer a choice at each prize tier - some hackers have scopes and 3D printers but would love a laser cutter, others will have access to laser cutters and CNCs but could do amazing things if only they had better test equipment etc etc.
So glad to see that the prize will be a yearly thing!
I'm new to hackaday, and gutted not to have had a go at the space prize. If only I'd known...
I know it would be boring to repeat, but you'll struggle to beat space. The engineer in me backs the awesome workshop tools option, but if I'd won I'd still be quietly thinking about space!
My opinion?
You guys should distribute better the prize! e.g: Giving away Arduino (or Raspberry Pi, or engineering software licenses) for the 100 better, doubling similar prizes for the top 50, serious hardware kits for the top 10 (like LEGO technik, snapcircuits, LittleBits) and finally some funding for the top 5 (conditioning them to sell through your store!). And seriously, NO big prize for the winner. I would rather do the top 10 than winning!
In keeping with a 'the journey is the reward' line of thinking, here's another thought: The prize for the prize will be *making something*.
Find some people with some cool ideas, throw them in the hackaspace (loaded up with tools, of course), and have them build their cool idea. Get some people to do the certification walkthroughs, a few people to teach designing for manufacturing, and bob's your uncle. Sell the thing in the hackaday store, too.
Of course, we could also keep the 'journey is the reward' by giving out copies of *Escape* signed by Steve Perry. Either one works for me.
Or on a more serious note, I'd say a 5 axis CNC/milling machine. Or perhaps just "fill" the maker shed. Cool test tools, laser cutter, 3D metal printer and the like. Or maybe every sensor known to man?
Maybe the winner takes the money instead and you can just do this again? Extreme places are a good idea for this - like visiting the north/south pole, an almost active vulcano or tschernobyl.
I'd love to see more small challenges like the sci-fi contest or the fubarino contest and the logo contest on the blog - halloween 2015 animatronics contest would be awesome - 2014 is to close. Maybe something to push and/or reward the esp8266 developments of libraries and firmware further. One or another blog reader might like to see a "not an arduino project" contest. Would be cool to see some projects that help people in anyway.
Yep, small challenges are IMHO great idea. Huge prize motivate people to build huge and expensive projects, overshadowing smaller projects - often with better ideas behind, but just not as eye-catching, polished and attractive. While spending 100USD on project may be no problem for a lot of people, it could mean a few months of saving money for somebody else.
"Not an arduino" is good idea. What about "Not a MCU" or even "Not an Integrated Circuit"? :-)
How about some Stuff everybody wants to have but didn't want to afford?
F. Ex. Waterjet cutter, Lasercutter, Metal Sinter 3d Printer, Oscilloscope, Enough LED Modules for a whole wall, Industrial Robot, a production line, A big voucher (for buying at Farnell, RS-online, Mouser or simmilar) ... There is so much lovely Stuff and nothing wich would overrun your budget ;-)
Further to your examples of easily-shared, big-ticket items, waterjet cutter/lasercutter etc., I reckon they would make good prizes for a specifically group/collaborative/hackerspace themed challenge/contest to encourage those things to end up in the hands of as many hackers as possible?
Put your project into orbit. Put your project into commercial production. Trip to Arecibo Observatory. Trip to Cern. Trip to/down TauTona Mine.... or perhaps to the Kola Superdeep Borehole (not everybodies cup of tea perhaps, but interesting none the less)... I can think of dozens of things I would love to do, that HAD could arrange.. take your pick from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_points_of_Earth ... Oh and thanks for the Edit button :¬) we could do with a few more of those round here.
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Of course, nice equipment as prizes will never go amiss. Suggestion though: offer a choice at each prize tier - some hackers have scopes and 3D printers but would love a laser cutter, others will have access to laser cutters and CNCs but could do amazing things if only they had better test equipment etc etc.
So glad to see that the prize will be a yearly thing!
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Amazing prizes!
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I know it would be boring to repeat, but you'll struggle to beat space. The engineer in me backs the awesome workshop tools option, but if I'd won I'd still be quietly thinking about space!
Are you sure? yes | no
You guys should distribute better the prize! e.g: Giving away Arduino (or Raspberry Pi, or engineering software licenses) for the 100 better, doubling similar prizes for the top 50, serious hardware kits for the top 10 (like LEGO technik, snapcircuits, LittleBits) and finally some funding for the top 5 (conditioning them to sell through your store!). And seriously, NO big prize for the winner. I would rather do the top 10 than winning!
Are you sure? yes | no
Find some people with some cool ideas, throw them in the hackaspace (loaded up with tools, of course), and have them build their cool idea. Get some people to do the certification walkthroughs, a few people to teach designing for manufacturing, and bob's your uncle. Sell the thing in the hackaday store, too.
Of course, we could also keep the 'journey is the reward' by giving out copies of *Escape* signed by Steve Perry. Either one works for me.
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Personally I've always wanted to take a ride on a submarine... like a serious business one, not a touristy-type of thing.
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I'd love to see more small challenges like the sci-fi contest or the fubarino contest and the logo contest on the blog - halloween 2015 animatronics contest would be awesome - 2014 is to close. Maybe something to push and/or reward the esp8266 developments of libraries and firmware further. One or another blog reader might like to see a "not an arduino project" contest. Would be cool to see some projects that help people in anyway.
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Also a NotDuino contest is a fun idea.
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"Not an arduino" is good idea. What about "Not a MCU" or even "Not an Integrated Circuit"? :-)
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F. Ex. Waterjet cutter, Lasercutter, Metal Sinter 3d Printer, Oscilloscope, Enough LED Modules for a whole wall, Industrial Robot, a production line, A big voucher (for buying at Farnell, RS-online, Mouser or simmilar) ... There is so much lovely Stuff and nothing wich would overrun your budget ;-)
Best regards and happy Idea finding ;-)
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