Main Challenge

Projects will be judged across five categories:

Technical Execution (30%)

• How effectively did you reuse components from the original appliance?
• What engineering skills were demonstrated (electronics, wiring, CAD, 3D printing, mechanical design, etc.)?
• Is the build robust, safe and well-constructed?
• Can you clearly explain how your project works?

Purpose & Utility (30%)

• Does the project solve a problem or provide a useful experience?
• Is it accessible and easy to use?
• Does it achieve its intended purpose?
• Most importantly: does it work reliably during the demonstration?

Design & User Experience (20%)

• Is the project visually appealing and well presented?
• Is the user interface intuitive and easy to understand?
• Does the final product feel polished and complete?

Creativity (20%)

• How original is the idea?
• How different is the final product from the appliance's original purpose?
• Did the team take creative risks and think outside the box?

Side Tracks

These awards recognise projects that stand out in a specific way and do not require the product to fully work.

Jankiest Build

Awarded to the project with the most entertainingly chaotic, improvised or unconventional engineering.

Judges may consider:

• Did the project make them ask: "How did they even come up with this?"
• Were salvaged components used in unexpected or unusual ways?
• Did the team make creative or unconventional engineering decisions?
• Does the build embrace the spirit of improvisation and experimentation?
• Was the demonstration entertaining and memorable?
• Does the project have strong "cursed engineering" energy?

Most Repairable

Awarded to the project designed with maintainability, accessibility and repairability in mind.

Judges may consider:

• Is the product easy to open, inspect and access?
• Are components modular or easy to replace?
• Is the wiring and internal layout clear and organised?
• Is the system easy to troubleshoot and repair?
• Have design choices been made with long-term maintenance in mind?
• Does the project demonstrate thoughtful and sustainable engineering practices?

NOTE: The product must be interactive! If it doesn’t move, blink, actuate, or physically respond, it is not a hardware hack.

Demonstration Format

• You will receive a time-slot for judging at your station in the General Classroom.
• 5 minutes to demonstrate your project.
• 5 minutes of questions and interaction from the judges.
• Judges will score projects independently.
• Scores from the judges will be combined to determine the final rankings and leaderboard.