Get ready for fun, challenge, and innovation at NIU's first ever hackathon! More than 350 students are expected to converge on NIU's campus for 24 hours of brainstorming, coding and design - all aimed at solving problems for area hospitals, schools, libraries, museums, municipalities, and public safety agencies.
Students from NIU will be joined by undergraduates from other nearby universities and community colleges, as well as a select number of high school students. Faculty, industry, and alumni mentors will work with teams, leveling the playing field for those with limited coding or hackathon experience.
Expect food, fun, and swag as participants address and create solutions to real regional challenges Watch the excitement as groups compete for prizes to create ideas, plans, and actual applications or hardware, fueled by free food (and VERY little sleep.)
Prizes
$5,570 in prizes
Best Hack - 1st Place (4)
This award allows the team of four to chose from 1 Pebble Watch, 1 Ollie for Android, 1 Sphero, or Parrot Mini Drone.
2nd Place Best Hack (4)
Surface 3
3rd Place Best Hack (4)
Parrot Mini Drones
Sector Winners - 1st Place (16)
8 Lilypad Pro Kits and 8 Leap Motions - for the 4 team winners to choose from
Sector Winners - 2nd Place (16)
Participants will receive a collection of Hack movies, and a "Meh" Hoodie Sweatshirt. Movies include:
Sneakers Movie
Hackers 20th Edition
War Games
The Net
Sector Winners - 3rd Place (16)
Arduino Uno ultimate Starte Kit with Book
Best High School Team (4)
Google Chromecast Streaming Media
Best NIU Hack (4)
Google Chromecast Streaming Media
Where's Waldo (3)
Canakit Raspberry Pi 2
Most Purple (2)
Raspberry Pi Camera Kit
Bring Toastmasters Out of the Stone Age (4)
Canakit Raspberry Pi or Lillypad
Illinois Award (4)
Raspeberry Pi 2, Arduino, or Canakit
Devpost Achievements
Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:
Eligibility
Any team can participate by submitting a challenge for consideration. Must be an eligible student with an active student id card upon check-in, registered with Huskie Hack 2015, and in a team of no more than four individuals.
Requirements
Hackers are to provide a complete package with a description of the project and the following:
Sector submitting under
Title
Name of Challenge
Purpose
And then sell it!
Should include specific code information, API or open data sources accessed, and any particular challenges encountered during the construction of the project.
Judges
Nicholas Karonis
NIU Computer Science Chair
Mike Papka
Computer Science Department
John Winans
Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships
Stephen Haliczer
Division of Information Technology
Herb Kuryliw
Division of Information Technology
Brett Coryell
Northern Illinois University Chief Information Officer
Drew Bjerken
Northern Illinois University Chief Information Security Officer
Dr. Gary Chen, ISYE
College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
Dr. Ji-Chul Ryu, MEE
College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
Dr. Michael Haji-Sheikh
College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
Alicia Schatteman
Northern Illinois University Department of Public Affairs
Diana Robinson
Northern Illinois University, Director of the Center for Governmental Studies
Judging Criteria
-
Innovation
How new is this idea? This could be a radical innovation or a meaningful new take on an existing product or service. -
Impact
Does the app have the ability to make its users’ lives better, for example by helping them save more, make better financial decisions, or reduce debt? -
Design
How easy is the app to use? How does the app look?
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