About the challenge

IDEA Hacks is a 36-hour hardware-focused hackathon held annually by IEEE at UCLA in Ackerman Grand Ballroom. As the largest electrical engineering-focused hackathon on the West Coast, this is a truly unique opportunity to work on a project that encompasses electrical, software, and even mechanical engineering.

For the ninth annual IDEA Hacks, our theme is “Game Time!" This means projects should gamify a daily practice, an environmentally-friendly behavior, or any mundane task to make it more enjoyable. Products should encourage healthier habits by making one’s routines more engaging and enabling users to compete with themselves or others. The three sub-categories—mental and physical health, sustainable practices, and “just for fun” (a good old game)—promote the creation of projects that benefit one’s wellbeing, the health of the planet, or enjoyment of life.

Get started

To get started, visit our parts checkout table once hacking begins! However, you are welcome to begin brainstorming project ideas as early as you want.

Also, please join our discord. You should have received the link in an email.

$2,750 in prizes

• Relevance to Theme
  How relevant is the project to the theme of “Game Time”? Does the project successfully “gamify” something? Is there a fun component to the project?
• Concept Testing and Ideation
  Did they choose the best solution to solve the target problem? Considering factors such as safety, cost-effectiveness, and reliability, was an effective solution proposed to resolve the target issue?
• Creativity / Innovation
  How creative is the project? Is it an original idea and/or implementation?
• Technological Achievement
  Is the project complete and well designed? Does the project work reliably and effectively achieve the goals of the design?
• Usage of Technology
  Does the project effectively use the technology available? Did the team go above and beyond in effectively utilizing technology?
• Potential to Become a Product
  Does the product satisfy a real need? Is the user experience enjoyable? Is the product cost-effective and affordable?
• Strength of Pitch
  How convincing were they in “selling” their product? Was the pitch clear and concise?
• Environment (Optional)
  Does this project have the potential to make a significant impact on one or more real environmental issues? How effective would this project be in encouraging their target audience to adopt environmentally-friendly behaviors long-term?
• Mental and Physical Health (Optional)
  How likely is this project to improve the long-term mental and/or physical health of its users? Does this project target an aspect of mental or physical health that is currently underserved in the market?
• “Just for Fun” (Optional)
  Is the product enjoyable to use? Does the end result present a novel approach to an existing game, or create a new game entirely?