AI Hardware
Creative Challenge

Individuals and teams may enter where permitted by local law. A Tindie order is not required. An order number is optional and is needed only when applying for the Tindie product usage bonus; it will not be made public. Anyone under the age of majority in their jurisdiction must have a parent or legal guardian's consent and assistance with registration and winner verification.

No. Pre-trained models, cloud APIs, open-source code, and properly licensed third-party resources are allowed, provided their licenses are followed and they are properly credited. Existing prototypes may be developed further, but the submitted version must include substantial additions or improvements completed during the challenge and must clearly distinguish prior work from new contributions. Simply resubmitting an old project does not qualify.

Share your core original code or repository, dependencies, and setup instructions. Identify any proprietary models or third-party software and explain their roles. If essential original material genuinely cannot be published, contact the organizers before submitting your entry to request private verification. For a custom PCB, document its function, interfaces, and power requirements and include photos of the physical board; a schematic is recommended. Not using a custom PCB does not reduce the base score.

Each participant may activate only one card. To activate it, create a PCBWay account and follow the instructions sent by email. The card is valid only during the challenge period and expires afterward. It cannot be combined or stacked with another coupon or voucher, may be used only once, has no cash value, and provides no refund or carryover for any unused balance. For example, if an order totals $20, the $50 card is considered fully used, and the remaining $30 cannot be applied to that order or any future order. Eligible services include PCB fabrication, stencils, assembly, components, 3D printing, CNC machining, and sheet-metal fabrication.

No. Written documentation, physical photos and test results may demonstrate the project. A clear and effective demonstration video may earn up to 5 bonus points and may be embedded or linked, but it cannot replace the complete project report.

A team should appoint one lead contact to register and receive communications. Each Tindie account may register once and submit one project once. Submitted forms cannot be edited or resubmitted. An individual participant or the same team may receive no more than one award, and a single project may not be divided into multiple entries to claim multiple prizes.

Registration and project forms each accept one submission per Tindie account and cannot be edited or resubmitted. Published project materials are locked for judging at the deadline. During the review period, participants may provide eligibility or rights documentation and restore access to a link, but they may not replace the core approach, primary code, or test results or add a video for bonus points. Entry links must remain accessible until the winners are announced.

None of these is required. PCBWay's PCB/PCBA, 3D printing, CNC, and sheet-metal services are optional resources. Participants may use any software, make parts themselves, or choose another provider. The fabrication and production-readiness bonus considers structural design, assembly, safety, practicality, and documented iteration—not brand choice or spending. No base points are deducted for not using a custom enclosure, 3D printing, or CNC machining.

Order numbers, proof of purchase, names, and email addresses are used only for challenge communications, bonus-point verification, and winner verification; they are not displayed on the project page. Participants retain ownership of their work while granting Tindie and PCBWay a non-exclusive license to use submitted materials for judging, winner announcements, and challenge promotion, with attribution and a link to the original project where reasonably practical.