Twenty selected participants will receive the Microchip SAM E51 Curiosity Nano and a selection of MikroE Click boards to upgrade an old piece of hardware for IoT or refurbish a damaged control board, all while learning about the benefits of recycling and competing for prizes.
"With over 50 million metric tons of e-waste generated worldwide, we're excited to launch a competition that educates the community about recycling while we reduce some of this year's e-waste," says Dianne Kibbey, Global Head of Community and Social Media at element14. "We want to see the creative ways our members breathe new life into a project with great results."
Designers participating in the challenge will be able to unleash their imagination, creating projects such as:
• Upgrade a malfunctioning washing machine by integrating IoT capabilities to notify users when the laundry is ready.
• Add a remote notification system to a child's electric scooter to remind them it's time to go home.
• Repair damaged laboratory equipment and enable it to communicate results to an IoT data platform.
• Transform an outdated air conditioner into a smart, IoT-connected device controllable via a smartphone app.
Entries for the "Upcycle IoT" design competition will be open from September 8th to September 29th. Selected participants will then receive the SAM E51 Curiosity Nano platform and must submit their projects, along with a minimum of five blog posts, by December 12th, 2023.
The grand prize winner will receive a Jackery 1000 Solar Generator and a Jackery SolarSaga 100W Solar Panel. The second prize winner will receive a Jackery Explorer 550 Portable Power Plant. All participants will receive a wall-mounted can crusher as a thank you for entering the contest.
