A New Challenge for Makers, Inventors and Tinkerers: IEEE Announces Start of Annual Maker Project Competition

Contestants will have a chance to showcase their talents, win prizes and get mentored by an IEEE member

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May 17, 2016, 02:31 ET

NEW YORK, May 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, a new opportunity for the innovative, creative and curious maker to transform problems into technology solutions has opened. IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, announced the annual IEEE Maker Project Competition, welcoming innovators and tech enthusiasts to battle it out for great prizes and the chance to work with an IEEE member. The IEEE Maker Project will be global, open and inclusive, welcoming those ready to showcase their technological prowess and gain wide recognition.

The contest will begin accepting submissions today, May 17, 2016, through September 17, 2016 at transmitter.ieee.org/makerproject/. Entrants must be 18 years or older to enter and submissions must be an engineering project that was built or created using hardware or software. Submissions must also include an image or video of the tech project, as well as a description. Visitors to the site will be able to share, link, comment and even vote for their favorite submissions.

Tom Coughlin, Chair of the IEEE Public Visibility Committee, IEEE Senior Member and lifelong advocate of the maker movement, will serve as the host of this competition. He will be featured in an ongoing video series that will highlight cool projects and events to inspire contestants on the contest website.

"This contest is about the developer and tinkerer in all of us, ready to step on the world stage to show off their engineering talents and hands-on creativity," says Tom Coughlin, IEEE Senior Member. "This competition embodies the very spirit of making, and lays the foundation for the next generation of maker talent."

Prize winners at all levels will be chosen based on a content review process. A panel of judges selected by the Sponsor ('Judges') will review all entries. Entries will be ranked based on three (3) criteria:

Originality
Innovation
Benefit to humanity

Finalists in each submission category will receive a $50 Amazon gift card (or equivalent value in local currency) and have their project spotlighted on IEEE Transmitter and IEEE Potentials Magazine. One second prize winner will receive $150 (or equivalent value in local currency). The grand prize winner's project will be spotlighted on IEEE Transmitter, will also receive a $500 Amazon gift card (or equivalent value in local currency) and a one-hour video mentoring session with Tom Coughlin, who will help the winner take their project to the next level.

Contest Submission Categories:

Accessibility
Education
Entertainment
Health and Safety
Sustainability
Transportation

All are invited to participate in voting for their favorite project online at [transmitter.ieee.org/makerproject/] and share links to their projects on social media with the hashtag #IEEEMakerProject. Community members may vote once a day until September 17, 2016.

The IEEE Maker Project video series will highlight innovations featured at the 2016 Maker Faire—a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the maker movement. Tom Coughlin will be there on May 21, 2016 to talk tech and scope out the best projects on the show floor.

For a list the full terms and conditions of the IEEE Maker Project contest, please click here for more information: [transmitter.ieee.org/makerproject/]

About IEEE
IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organization, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. Learn more at the IEEE Website.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Levit
Senior Account Executive, Finn Partners
Phone: (212) 715-1567
Email: [email protected]

Francine Tardo
Senior Manager, External Communications and Public Visibility, IEEE
Phone: (732) 465-5865
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE IEEE