The Hackaday Prize is back for 2022! For the better part of a decade, our friends at Hackaday have been challenging makers and creators the world over to create something that matters. They’ve accomplished a lot, and this year will be no different.
This year the Hackaday Prize is taking on the task of Saving the World, and they’re challenging makers from around the globe to create the technology that will solve climate change. There are tens of thousands of dollars in prizes, going to the best solutions dreamt up by a world of makers. There are more than $100,000 in prizes and a residency at the Supplyframe DesignLab up for grabs, so get making!
Like previous years of the Hackaday Prize, there are a series of challenges asking you to create solutions to save the world. They are:
Planet-Friendly Power
This challenge asks you to lower the cost of clean energy, either through energy harvesting or through improvements in energy storage. Think of a solar-powered pump pushing water uphill for energy harvesting at night. Yes, the gravity battery is a great answer to planet-friendly power. This challenge is open from March 29 through May 1, with the finalists announced on May 15th.
Reuse, Recycle, Revamp
Projects for this challenge facilitate recycling or reuse of material that would otherwise end up in the waste stream. Got a plan to turn plastic waste into 3D printer filament? This is the challenge for you! This challenge is open from May 1 to June 12, with the finalists announced on June 26th.
Hack It Back
Entries for this challenge add new capabilities to older electrical gear to keep it useful. For instance, did you know you can build a powerwall out of thousands of discarded laptop batteries? This challenge is open from June 12 to July 24, with the winners announced on August 7th.
Climate Resilient Communities
This is a challenge to design devices that help communities be more resilient to climate change or collect data from the environment for changes in local infrastructure. Some communities (and states) ban red-light cameras, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a Raspberry Pi and Machine Vision to catch everyone flying through a red light! This challenge is open from July 24 to September 4, with winners announced on September 18th.
Save the World Wildcard
Got an idea that will save the world? This is the challenge for you! Build something that creates a more promising future for us all. This challenge is open from September 4 through October 16, with the winners announced on October 30th.
To launch the 2022 Hackaday Prize, Hackaday is hosting a YouTube live stream all day tomorrow, starting at 8:00 AM PT and going until 2:30 PM PT. Topics will include Radical Ideas to Save the Planet with Bill Gross Founder and CEO of Idealab, The Next Industrial Revolution We Need with Cesar Jarada professor at the University of Hong Kong, and Helping the Planet Through Open Source Hardware with Alicia Gibb, Lee Wilkins, and Claire Cassidy from OSHWA.
