Tweet
2014 DEF CON Groups Challenge!
We have seen DC 21 come and go, and after a little rest we all have begun preparing
ourselves for DC22. Since we have 7 months until we all meet again in Vegas, I have
prepared a fun contest to help you pass the time.
Plus, if you win, you and your team mates will get free badges (8 free badges for 1st,
4 free badges for second) to help offset the costs of attending DC22!
Have fun and happy hacking!
-blak
The 2014 DEF CON Groups Challenge:
Build a DC20 badge network, cluster, or mesh, capable of performing a unified task, that
you define. How many badges you decide to use, the purpose of the work they perform, and
how they communicate, is up to each DEFCON Group.
The Platform:
When LosTboy and Dark Tangent decided to create the DC20 badge, they gave each attendee an
incredible development platform. The microcontroller built into each DC20 badge is capable
of immensely powerful tasks. With 8 separate, 80MHz cogs (cores), the badges in your kit
can be combined for a total of 160 cores, all running separate tasks simultaneously,
without software interrupts. Your DCG could conceivably create any number of incredible
projects. The true limit is your imagination, creativity, and technical know-how. And DEF
CON wants to know which groups are at the top of that list.
Requirements:
Your DCG must document (video/images/write-ups) your entry into this
contest. The entries will be entered into a public judging poll, with links to your
documentation. The top 3 entries the public selects will be judged by myself and other
DEFCON staff, and ranked. The winners will be announced at DC22.
Available Resources:
Parallax provides a software repository that can be used as a foundation for your project,
called the Object Exchange (OBEX). In addition, DEF CON has pre-created a two part case,
and shared it publicly on Tinkercad.com. You can find the case components by searching for
DC20-badge, and modify for your group’s use.
Criteria for Finals Judging:
You may add communications capability other than the optical communications the badges
shipped with.
Each group participating received a 20 count box of DC20 badges. The main idea is to
implement, for functional purposes only - as many badges as possible in your badge cluster.
I recommend posting updates publicly on the DC Forums/Facebook/Twitter/any other place that
can achieve a following who will vote. Part of the challenge is sharing your journey to
build a cluster of parallax propeller boards.
The Showcase:
The top three (3) Groups who make it to the final judging stage will get floor space at
DC22 to show off their entry into the challenge. There make be some slackspace to show off
individual entries into the challenge as well. More to come on this as we get closer to the
conference dates.
The Prizes:
1st Place -> *8* DEF CON 22 Human Badges, a writeup in the DC22 program, and a DCG Spotlight on the project, plus a chance to show your project off at DEF CON 22
2nd Place -> *4* DEF CON 22 Human Badges, some free swag (store credits), a cool writeup on
defcon.org, a mention in the DC22 program, and a chance to show off the project at DEF CON
22
3rd Place -> Free Swage (store credits), mention in the DC22 program, and a chance to show
off the project at DEF CON 22
*Deadline for Entries*:
All media/documentation/technical details must be submitted to blak@defcon.org no later
than May 15th. Finally judging will occur prior to DC22.
We have seen DC 21 come and go, and after a little rest we all have begun preparing
ourselves for DC22. Since we have 7 months until we all meet again in Vegas, I have
prepared a fun contest to help you pass the time.
Plus, if you win, you and your team mates will get free badges (8 free badges for 1st,
4 free badges for second) to help offset the costs of attending DC22!
Have fun and happy hacking!
-blak
The 2014 DEF CON Groups Challenge:
Build a DC20 badge network, cluster, or mesh, capable of performing a unified task, that
you define. How many badges you decide to use, the purpose of the work they perform, and
how they communicate, is up to each DEFCON Group.
The Platform:
When LosTboy and Dark Tangent decided to create the DC20 badge, they gave each attendee an
incredible development platform. The microcontroller built into each DC20 badge is capable
of immensely powerful tasks. With 8 separate, 80MHz cogs (cores), the badges in your kit
can be combined for a total of 160 cores, all running separate tasks simultaneously,
without software interrupts. Your DCG could conceivably create any number of incredible
projects. The true limit is your imagination, creativity, and technical know-how. And DEF
CON wants to know which groups are at the top of that list.
Requirements:
Your DCG must document (video/images/write-ups) your entry into this
contest. The entries will be entered into a public judging poll, with links to your
documentation. The top 3 entries the public selects will be judged by myself and other
DEFCON staff, and ranked. The winners will be announced at DC22.
Available Resources:
Parallax provides a software repository that can be used as a foundation for your project,
called the Object Exchange (OBEX). In addition, DEF CON has pre-created a two part case,
and shared it publicly on Tinkercad.com. You can find the case components by searching for
DC20-badge, and modify for your group’s use.
Criteria for Finals Judging:
- Number of Badges in your cluster performing functional work (5 pts).
- Creativity of your concept (10 pts)
- Creativity in implementing the communications layer of choice (5pts).
- Documentation of your project (10 pts)
- Shareable firmware and any other files necessary to duplicate your project (10 pts)
You may add communications capability other than the optical communications the badges
shipped with.
Each group participating received a 20 count box of DC20 badges. The main idea is to
implement, for functional purposes only - as many badges as possible in your badge cluster.
I recommend posting updates publicly on the DC Forums/Facebook/Twitter/any other place that
can achieve a following who will vote. Part of the challenge is sharing your journey to
build a cluster of parallax propeller boards.
The Showcase:
The top three (3) Groups who make it to the final judging stage will get floor space at
DC22 to show off their entry into the challenge. There make be some slackspace to show off
individual entries into the challenge as well. More to come on this as we get closer to the
conference dates.
The Prizes:
1st Place -> *8* DEF CON 22 Human Badges, a writeup in the DC22 program, and a DCG Spotlight on the project, plus a chance to show your project off at DEF CON 22
2nd Place -> *4* DEF CON 22 Human Badges, some free swag (store credits), a cool writeup on
defcon.org, a mention in the DC22 program, and a chance to show off the project at DEF CON
22
3rd Place -> Free Swage (store credits), mention in the DC22 program, and a chance to show
off the project at DEF CON 22
*Deadline for Entries*:
All media/documentation/technical details must be submitted to blak@defcon.org no later
than May 15th. Finally judging will occur prior to DC22.