The Alexa and Arduino Smart Home Challenge

Create the smart home gadget of the future

Total prize pool of $59,000

The Alexa and Arduino Smart Home Challenge
The Alexa and Arduino Smart Home Challenge
This contest is over! See all the winning entries. Want more chances to win prizes? Check out our active contests.

FAQ

General


Did I win the contest? When will I receive my prize?

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

I submitted my project but it says "Awaiting moderation". Will it affect my eligibility?
As long as you submit your project before the deadline it doesn't matter when it is moderated. Just sit back and enjoy a well deserved break!
My project is locked and I can't edit it anymore. Why is that?
All projects entered in the contest are locked after the submission deadline to ensure that they remain the same during the judging process. They are then unlocked after winners are announced.
Somebody copied my entry! What can I do?
When judging entries, we take into account the submission date. When an entry is clearly plagiarized from another, we favor the original entry. If you believe the result of the judging is unfair, please email us at help@hackster.io to appeal.
What are the entry requirements?

To submit an entry, a Participant must meet the following content and technical requirements:

  • Participants must create a free Hackster.io account and register as a participant for this contest.
  • Participants must create an Amazon developer account to build a working submission.

All valid entries must meet each of the following requirements:

  • Each entry must be the contestants’ own original work.
  • Entries cannot have been selected as a winner in any other contest.
  • Contestants must have obtained any and all consents, approvals or licenses required for you to submit your entry.
  • Entries may not include any third-party trademarks (logos, names) or copyrighted materials (music, images, video, recognizable people) unless you have obtained permission to use the materials.
  • Each project must be fully documented on Hackster in accordance with the “project” template.
  • Each final project must be submitted within the projects template.
  • Each final project must include of the following materials: Images, instructions, BOM, schematics, code, CAD of any 3D models or 2D drawings (if any).

To win one of the five prizes identified in the Full Rules, your project must meet all of the following requirements:

  • You must meet the Participant content and technical requirements.
  • Your project must meet the requirements to be a valid entry.
  • Your project must be created using Amazon Alexa
  • Your project must be relevant to the theme of the contest.
  • Your final project must be fully documented on Hackster with the project template.
  • Your final project must be submitted using the project template.
  • Your final project documentation must include the following:

a) Images

b) Instructions

c) BOM

d) Schematics

e) Code

f) CAD (if relevant to the project)

What are the judging criteria?

Winners will be selected based on the following criteria for Categories below:

For All Categories (Best Indoor Skill, Best Outdoor Skill, Best Wild Card Skill and Best Alexa Voice Service Integration Categories)

  • Creativity (10 points)
  • Usefulness (10 points)
  • Use of voice user interface (VUI) best practices (20 points)
  • Demo Video (10 points)
  • Story/Instruction – Show how you created your project, including images, screenshots, and/or video (10 Points)
  • Project documentation including VUI diagram (10 Points)
  • Code – Include working code with helpful comments (10 Points)

The following additional criteria apply for skills categories only (Best Indoor Skill, Best Outdoor Skill, Best Wildcard Skill):

  • Published Alexa skill (20 Points) (Skill must be published between the contest start and end dates.)
  • Bonus – Make compatible for EchoPlus with Zigbee (10 points)
What are the prizes?
Best Overall Alexa Skill + Gadget
  • Kickstarter Package + $14,000 Cash + Dragon Innovation DFM Certification + Kickstarter Coaching Session + Trophy
Best Indoor Alexa Skill + Gadget
  • $8,000 cash + Kickstarter Coaching Session + Trophy
Best Outdoor Alexa Skill + Gadget
  • $8,000 cash + Kickstarter Coaching Session + Trophy
Best Wildcard Alexa Skill + Gadget
  • $6,000 cash + Kickstarter Coaching Session + Trophy
Best Alexa Voice Service Integration
  • $8,000 cash + Kickstarter Coaching Session + Trophy
What are the steps to enter the contest?

To submit your project to the Contest and to be eligible to win a prize (no purchase necessary, no prior entries required):

  • Build and submit your project by Feb 24, 2018 at 11:59 PM PT
  • Build your project using Amazon Alexa
  • Add a new project by clicking the "+" symbol at the top right side of the screen and follow the submission template.
  • Share detailed instructions with images in the story section.
  • Share the bill of materials.
  • Share the electronics schematics.
  • Share the source code (optionally via Github or Bitbucket).
  • Share the CAD files (if relevant).

To the extent there is any conflict between these Contest Rules and the Full Rules, the Full Rules will control.

What is the contest timeline?

Contest begins:

November 21, 2017 at 8:01 AM PT

Submissions close:

February 24, 2018 at 11:59 PM PT

Winners announced:

March 15, 2018

When will winners be announced? Where can I see the list?

Contest winners will be announced on March 15, 2018. The list of winners will be visible on the main page (Contest brief).

Who is eligible to participate?

Open to individuals who are the older of eighteen (18) years of age or the legal age of majority in their place of residence at the time of entry and are also legal residents of any country outside of Brazil, Quebec, or any country, state, province or territory where the laws of the United States or local law prohibits participating or receiving a prize in the Challenge (including, but not limited to Cuba, Sudan, Iran, North Korea, Syria and any other country designated by the United States Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control: https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Pages/Programs.aspx), and (2) at or above the age of majority in their country, state, and jurisdiction of residence at the time of Submission (each, a “Participant”). Challenge is void outside of the jurisdictions outlined above and where prohibited by law. Participants may not be members of any guild, union or other organization that may prohibit them from participating in this Challenge and that would restrict, require due payment or otherwise have the right to oppose such participant’s participation in this Challenge . Directors, officers, employees, interns, and contractors (“Personnel”) of Sponsor, Hackster, Inc. (“Hackster”), and each of their parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective advertising, promotion and public relations agencies, representatives, and agents (collectively, “Challenge Entities”), immediate families members of such Personnel (parents, siblings, children, spouses, and life partners of each) and members of the households of such Personnel (whether related or not) are ineligible to participate in this Challenge

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