About the Hackathon

Grid the Globe, a coaction by GDSC and EWB, is a focused effort designed to tackle the challenge of improving telecommunications in remote and challenging areas. Grid the Globe is set to occur over five (5) days, spanning Monday to Friday (10:00 till 17:00 each day), September 30 to October 4.

The contestant briefing will occur on Monday September 30 (from 10:00) at the Nanoscience building, The University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW 2050. A workshop and panel presentation by Peter McArdle, Chief Engineer for Engineers Without Borders Australia, is highly anticipated.

A variety of live presentations, workshops, panels and Q&A with experts will be hosted across the span of the event at the Nanoscience Lecture Theatre.

All participant solutions will be submitted and heard by 14:00 on Friday 4 October, 2024. Contestant presentations will be judged on this day, with results heard by 17:00. A panel of industry professionals, university academics, and (ideally) yourselves will judge participants using a judging criteria pre-prepared.

High-performing participants will be awarded a variety of prizes, presented by GDSC, EWB and volunteers.

The hackathon directly calls on students to ideate and prototype telecommunications systems capable of operating under extreme conditions, ensuring reliable connectivity for isolated communities.

Get started

A key aspect of the hackathon is its emphasis on sustainability and innovation; participants are urged to minimise environmental impacts and use renewable resources in their designs, aiming for solutions that are mobile, intuitive, and affordable. The hackathon also promotes cross-disciplinary collaboration, with students from varying backgrounds working together to overcome complex technological and geographical challenges.

Ultimately, the combined goal is to produce tangible proof-of-concept, physical prototypical solutions that can significantly improve living conditions, economic opportunities, and community integration in remote locations. The solutions presented will be open-sourced for future development. We believe that this aligns with a humanitarian commitment to expanding connectivity and supports its interest in discovering and fostering new talent and ideas in the telecommunications sector. Presenting in this hackathon offers an opportunity to connect with innovative students dedicated to solving real-world problems through technology.

Requirements

Problem Statement

Information and connectivity have become fundamental pillars of societal and humanitarian growth. It is important to acknowledge that many remote communities still grapple with the absence of reliable telecommunications technology and general internet connectivity. The implications of this reality are profound, affecting educational, healthcare, economic, community, safety, and security sectors alike.

Some damages caused by an absence of connectivity include, but are not limited to:

Limited connection to humanitarian aid and services, creating barriers to the timely and effective delivery of humanitarian aid, such as those of healthcare staff.
Slowed community efforts due to unsound communication and support networks
Exacerbated needs and vulnerabilities. Women, children, and people with disabilities are at increased risk of losing access to sufficient information.
Lack of capacity to voice concerns to one's greater community.

By addressing the unique challenges faced by remote areas, we aim to foster inclusivity, empower individuals, and cultivate sustainable development that extends to the farthest reaches of our interconnected world.

We kindly remind all participants to focus their discussions and solutions on the technological and humanitarian aspects of the challenges presented. Our collective focus targets transcend geographical and political boundaries; innovation herein thrives on mutual respect and a shared commitment to positive change.

What to Submit

Ideate, design, and present a proof of concept of a low-cost, durable telecommunications system for remote areas with limited access to traditional communication networks due to rurality, heavy telecommunications regulation, or absent/damaged infrastructure.
Ensure their solution can withstand extreme conditions, and be simple enough for mobile deployment by communities with limited technical expertise, akin to the humanitarian nature of the Hackathon

Extreme conditions could be defined by hazardous or unfavourable weather conditions, war-related effects, minimal access to power sources, rurality and more.

Merge current technologies with new applications! Our definition of innovation is to make small changes to current solutions to make a holistically large difference!

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

6 non-cash prizes

First Place

1 winner

The overall winner of Grid the Globe 2024!

Telstra Award for Most Mobile Telecommunications Solution

1 winner

Mobile, portable technologies are the way of the future for the telecommunications sector. Awarded by the well renowned Telstra Group, this award is awarded to the participant submission that best suits the category of 'Mobile'. Mobile solutions are typically ones easily applied in a variety of contexts, with ease of transportation and diversity of use location in mind.

GDSC Award for Most Intuitive Solution

1 winner

Being intuitive and accessible is critical for improving access to technology. Awarded by Google Developers Student Clubs @ USYD, this award is awarded to the participant submission that best suits the category of 'Intuitive'. Intuitive solutions are solutions that are easy to understand, teach, and upgrade, as well as solutions that are accessible and inclusive!

EWB Award for Most Impactful Solution

1 winner

Humanitarian solutions are designed to have impact. Awarded by Non-Profit Organisation Engineers Without Borders Australia, this award is awarded to the participant submission that best suits the category of 'Impact'. Impactful solutions are solutions that have the potential to demonstrate ground breaking changes to how the world works, improving humanitarian and ethical outcomes for all.

People's Choice Award

1 winner

This prize goes to the team that the people want to see win! Get your family, friends, colleagues, and connections to vote for you on our DevPost platform! The team with the most endorsements will win this award!