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The deadline to request to participate in the Great Global Hackerspace Challenge is approaching.<BR>
<BR>
If your hackerspace would like to be chosen as one of the 10 to participate in this new Challenge, please email me to tell me why your space should be chosen! You don't have to tell me what your space is going to do for the Challenge. For now, just email me about why your space should be one of the 10 hackerspaces to be part of the this Challenge.<BR>
<BR>
<STRONG>The deadline: 17:00h Friday (California time -- PST -- UTC-8).</STRONG><BR>
<BR>
<STRONG>Email to:</STRONG><BR>
<STRONG> mitch **at** CornfieldElectronics **dot** com</STRONG><BR>
<BR>
The idea of this new Challenge is to encourage hackerspaces to come up with ways of helping with education. Our education systems are failing us, and hackerspaces are in a unique position to help.<BR>
<BR>
This Challenge has 3 simple criterea:<BR>
* Your hackerspace will create a project that helps with education by 13-May-2011.<BR>
* The project will make use of a microcontroller.<BR>
* The project will make use of a portable power source.<BR>
<BR>
Each space gets about 6 weeks to complete the project, and will be given a budget of US$900 (or equivalent).<BR>
<BR>
Since I announce the challenge, the sponsors (Element14) have been kicking in some way cool stuff for all who participate.<BR>
<BR>
All 10 hackerspaces chosen to participate will get the following:<BR>
- 5 soldering stations from OKI (MFR 1100 Series)<BR>
- 5 soldering stations from ATG (specific model TBD)<BR>
- TechSpray: 10 ESD Safe Lead cutters per team (170LX) & 10 Desoldering braid (1810-5F)<BR>
- and maybe more<BR>
<BR>
The 3 finalists who will present at the San Francisco Maker Faire in May will all receive:<BR>
- Fluke 233 DMM (worth US$300)<BR>
- Fluke 381 Clamp Meter (worth US$500)<BR>
- Tektronix PWS4205 Power Supply (worth US$865)<BR>
- Agilent HH DMM (specific model TBD)<BR>
<BR>
And the space with the project chosen to be the coolest will receive:<BR>
- Tektronix MSO2024 oscilloscope (worth around US$5,600)<BR>
<BR>
Of course, this isn't about competition, but about getting together to create something way cool and helpful for education. We can do it!<BR>
<BR>
All of the details about the Great Global Hackerspace Challenge are here:<BR>
<A href="http://www.tvbgone.com/downloads/hs_challenge/hs_challenge.htm">http://www.tvbgone.com/downloads/hs_challenge/hs_challenge.htm</A><BR>
or<BR>
<A href="http://tiny.cc/hschal">http://tiny.cc/hschal</A><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Get your proposals in!<BR>
<BR>
Cheers,<BR>
Mitch.<BR>
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