What kind of projects can you submit?
Robotics, HCI, home automation, RFID, art projects, useful mods & hacks,
fun/entertaining projects, etc. are the areas we like to focus on, but it is much too
difficult to draw any hard lines. Have you made wireless entry into your car?
That works for us. Did you make an electric backyard catapult? That works too!
Are you creating a robotic army to enslave humanity? Sure, why not! A vision tool for a robot,
a keyless entry lock, a system for interpreting sensor inputs, part of a home automation system,
or even an elaborate
Rube Goldberg contraption,
that’s cool too! It could be some navigation or voice recognition software or even a new drive train or gripper design.
How about your robot... Have you made it do something wild that you just have to show off?
With or without our products, we love projects that focus on solving particular problems because others can then use
those ideas in their own projects.
If you love tinkering with new technologies, or repurposing existing products
for new and unique applications, then we want to hear from you!>
What probably won't make the grade:
Projects like computer case mods that are purely aesthetic improvements won’t
thrill us. We’re looking for functionality. Mount some insectile legs
on that computer, add a few lasers, take it for a walk around the block; and
then we’ll be impressed.
Projects will be judged on the following criteria:
- Wow factor - Just how much does your project make jaws drop?
Do people gasp in glee at the bright lights and noises? Do they slap their heads
at how brilliant the concept is? Your project can be either entertaining or
everyday useful, either kind can have zing. The more zing the more bling in
your pocket.
- Ingenuity - How brilliant is your project? Is it just sorta
meh… or will it seriously pump up your geek cred? The more widgets, computers,
code, and electronics involved the more you’ll score in this category.
- Creative Spunk - How far did your mind have to stretch into
the 4th dimension to come up with your project? Did you just invent another
way to put the toilet seat back down, or is it so out there that it needed not
one, but three flux capacitors? The farther projects are in the future, look
like they belong in an art museum, or maybe should be safely kept behind glass,
the more points awarded in this category.
- Presentation, Documentation, & Explanation! - Describe what you built in plenty of detail: Separate and
organize the content into sections, add some bullet points, etc. Do not just post a picture or video with a two
line description of your project nor a twenty line paragraph crunched with all of your documentation. Tell us what made
you think of your project. Tell us what your project is about, the parts you used, the problems you solved and obstacles you had to overcome. Be sure to link
to products you used! We don't expect you to cover every minor detail, but take the time with the presentation,
documentation & explanation so that others could duplicate the project if they wanted to try and for you to get a higher score in this category.
Qualifications:
- Only 1 entry per thread. In an effort to keep entries cleaner and more organized we can only allow one entry per thread. If
you there is a reason why you need to post them together, please contact us.
- Embedded pictures and/or videos are required. If there is
no graphical element to your submission, it won't be counted. We want
to see media displayed in your post, rather than just links to the media. Most videos can be embedded into your post simply by pasting the
URL to your video directly into your post. Use your best judgment with what you believe is the best option to use that will do your
project justice: picture, video or both.
- You have to post information, not just links to information.
External links are fine, just don't rely too much on external content to get
your point across. This will effect your score in the "Presentation,
Documentation & Explanation" category. Linking to products used in your project
is recommended.
- Include all relevant info about your project in your initial post.
If at any time you want to go back and edit your original post to add more
info, please feel free to do so. If people have questions about your
project, go ahead and answer them in the thread, but add the info to the
original post if you think it will expand people's understanding of your
project.
- Organization counts! Try to be as clear and coherent as possible with the presentation of your project. The more organized and easy to follow
your post is, the better chance you have at winning.
Where to submit your project:
To post your project go to
Project
Showcase in the
Trossen Robotics Community (TRC). Please use the
thread prefix [Contest Entry] to show everyone that you would
like to submit your project into the TRC contest.
Questions:
If have any questions at all regarding the contest, your entry, or any features in the Trossen Robotics Community, please either
ask an admin or fellow forum member for help or
post here.
Remember: We want to see you win this contest! The more effort that is put into your submission post, the
better chance you have to win :)
Good luck to everyone!
- The Trossen Robotics Team
"To have a great idea, have a lot of them." — Thomas Edison