Grand Prize
The winner was awarded a $2,500 cash + A Year's Worth of Helium Data Credits (up to $2,500) + Helium Hotspot ($350) ($5,425 value)
Runner Ups
Each runner up was awarded a $1,000 cash + A Year's Worth of Helium Data Credits (up to $1,000) + Helium Hotspot ($350) ($2,425 value)
The challenge
Helium, Arm, Semtech and STMicroelectronics are coming together to give away $6,500 cash, $6,500 worth of Helium Data Credits, and a whole lot of Helium Hotspots in the name of #IoTforGood. We’re incredibly excited to see what the community will build! Read on to see how you can join in and make an impact.
The world is struggling with critical issues: from global pandemics like COVID-19 to climate change, growing homeless populations, resource depletion and more. We believe IoT can help.
Helium lowers the barriers to entry by delivering secure, ubiquitous and affordable wireless coverage for IoT devices, and makes it easy for any developer to start rapidly building on the Helium Network.
With that, we bring you #IoTforGood: a challenge calling on IoT developers to build an application on the Helium Network that could provide a huge positive impact on society if widely deployed.
Get started by purchasing relevant hardware (take a look at the boards included in our Helium Developer Kit) or submitting an application for a free Helium Developer Kit courtesy of our Premier Hardware Partner, STMicroelectronics. 75 applicants will be chosen to receive a Helium Developer Kit to be used to make your idea a reality. The earlier you submit, the better! Deadline for application is 5/28.
Registered participants will also have access to virtual workshops and engineer-led tutorials where they can ask questions, get tips on building projects, and share ideas. Feel free to ask any relevant questions to help jump-start your idea!
Eligibility
This challenge is open to developers interested in taking advantage of Helium's open-source technology, and enables access to the Helium team, community, and resources for support throughout the extent of the contest. Refer to the official rules for details on eligibility and how to enter.
Make Sure You Have Wireless Coverage:
Now the largest LoRaWAN Network in the US, The Helium Network allows developers and entrepreneurs to rapidly create applications without the need to deploy network infrastructure, while eliminating high costs and short battery life associated with cellular networks. The Network is available in more than 745 cities throughout the United States, with Canada soon to come.
Wireless coverage is paramount to developing devices that function on the Helium Network. If you’re in the US, check our real-time map for coverage. If there's no coverage in your area, consider building a gateway on the Helium Network, or even migrating an existing LoRaWAN gateway over to the Helium network
If you’re not based in the US, you will need a compatible LoRaWAN gateway to join the Helium Network (consider building your own). We will attempt to support existing LoRaWAN gateways outside of the US on a request basis. Please contact travis@helium.com for more details.
The Helium Developer Kit
The Helium Developer Kit is the perfect development setup to get started on the Helium Network. It consists of two hardware parts:
The main development board (right) with a LoRa capable radio and an expansion shield (left) with 5 environmental/motion MEMS sensors.
View our Discovery Board Quickstart Guide
Example IoT Applications and Use Cases
From stolen bicycle tracking, to smart pet collars, and remote environmental monitoring in dangerous conditions, the Helium Network drastically reduces what you have to concern yourself with in order to get your solution up and running.
Contest Community & Support
- Join the Helium Community Slack Channel to get real-time answers and help from the Helium team and community. Pay special attention to the #IoTforGood channel.
- Email travis@helium.com for other questions and support.
Prizes
Grand Prize
1 winner
Runner Ups
4 winners
Judges
#IoTforGood will be judged by select members from Helium and Arm, including individuals from executive, engineering, and product teams.
Resources
Access to our Webinars, Videos, and Quickstart Guides.
Developer Resources: In this developer documentation you will find examples, tutorials, specifications, and API references for building devices and applications to run on the Helium Network.
Console: Console is Helium's web-based interface for deploying and managing devices; and building flexible application-level logic into your IoT deployments. This is where you want to get started on your project. View our Console Quickstart Guide and learn how to Add Devices to the Helium Network.
Devices: The Helium Network was built to transfer device data. Check out our device resources to learn how to get started. Any device can communicate on the Helium Network if it uses the LoRaWAN wireless protocol. Here you can also find GPS tracking devices that the team has tested themselves.
Integrations: Integrations enable devices to connect to pre-configured, cloud-based applications such as MyDevices Cayenne or send data directly over HTTP, MQTT or AWS IoT Core.
About us
About Helium
Helium was co-founded by Shawn Fanning of Napster, Amir Haleem, and Sean Carey in 2013 with a mission to make it easier to build connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Together they created The People’s Network, the world’s first peer-to-peer wireless network, with a unique economic model powered by the Helium Blockchain and a suite of open source technologies to support it.
Now the largest LoRaWAN Network in the US, The People’s Network allows developers to rapidly create applications without the need to deploy network infrastructure, while eliminating high costs and short battery life associated with cellular networks. The Network is available in more than 745 cities throughout the United States, with Canada soon to come.
Helium is backed by GV (formerly Google Ventures), Khosla Ventures, FirstMark, Union Square Ventures, Multicoin Capital, HSB/Munich RE, Marc Benioff, and others. Helium works with key brands such as Nestle, Agulus, Invisileash, Stay Alfred and CleanWaterAI, among others. More information can be found at helium.com.
About Arm
Arm technology is at the heart of a computing and data revolution that is transforming the way people live and businesses operate. Our advanced, energy-efficient processor designs have enabled intelligent computing in more than 160 billion chips and our technologies now securely power products from the sensor to the smartphone and the supercomputer. In combination with our IoT device, connectivity and data management platform, we are also enabling customers with powerful and actionable business insights that are generating new value from their connected devices and data. Together with 1,000+ technology partners we are at the forefront of designing, securing and managing all areas of compute from the chip to the cloud. For more information, visit arm.com.
About Semtech
Semtech Corporation is a leading supplier of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms for high-end consumer, enterprise computing, communications, and industrial equipment. Products are designed to benefit the engineering community as well as the global community. The Company is dedicated to reducing the impact it, and its products, have on the environment. Internal green programs seek to reduce waste through material and manufacturing control, use of green technology and designing for resource reduction. Publicly traded since 1967, Semtech is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol SMTC. For more information, visit semtech.com.
About STMicroelectronics (Premium Hardware Sponsor)
At ST, we are 46,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An independent device manufacturer, we work with our 100,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of the Internet of Things and 5G technology. For more information, visit st.com.
Contest Status
Timeline
Contest begins
April 23, 2020 at 9:00 AM PDT
Applications for hardware close
May 28, 2020 at 12:00 PM PDT
Hardware recipients announced
May 29, 2020 at 12:00 PM PDT
Submissions close
August 6, 2020 at 11:59 PM PDT
Winners announced by
Aug 25, 2020