DeltaHacks is the annual hackathon for change, it’s even in the name! The primary focus of DeltaHacks is to enable hackers from all over the world to make a change, whether it be in education, finance, health or any other field, we’re extremely passionate about hacking to make a positive change! We work with McMaster University to welcome hackers of all levels, from the novice to the most experienced! We supply the platform, workshops, and events to provide even the most seasoned veterans with new experiences. Now in our 8th year running, we welcome students for all across the globe to participate in our 36-hour hackathon. Join us in January and take part in an experience you won’t forget.

Take a look at our weekend schedule here.

Requirements

Please submit your project to BOTH Devpost and my.deltahacks.com for judging!

Judging will be conducted virtually this year! After project submission, your team will be assigned Discord Channels on my.deltahacks.com. Join the assigned Discord Channel(s) during judging time with your team and be ready to present!

Live presentations will be conducted, with 3 minutes to present your project and 2 minutes for questions. Winners will be announced during Closing Ceremonies on Sunday January 16th.

 

Hackathon Sponsors

Prizes

$CAD9,654 in prizes

1st Place

A brand new Nintendo Switch for each team member.

2nd Place

A 144hz Gaming Monitor for each team member.

3rd Place

A Harman Kardon Onyx Studio Bluetooth Speaker for each team member.

Best Health Hack

You don't need to be a doctor to save lives when your project can. Looking for a healthier way to eat hot, crispy food? Well the winners of the Best Health Hack will be receiving an Air Fryer per team member.

Best Environmental Hack

Do you like the planet? So do we! Winners of the Best Environmental Hack will receive a Click and Grow Smart Garden per team member. Built-in sensors let the garden know when to automatically deliver an optimal amount of water, oxygen, or nutrients. Just plug it in, add water, and watch your plants thrive.

Best Education Hack

Does your hack promote or support learning? Have you ever thought education could be this fun? Winners of the Best Education Hack will win a $100 Indigo gift card per team member.

Best Productivity Hack

Developing a project that can help with procrastination and productivity? Winners of the Best Productivity Hack will receive a Google Nest Hub per team member.

Best Use of AssemblyAI

A $100 Amazon Gift Card will be rewarded to each member of the winning team that builds the best project using AssemblyAI API. See the quick start guide here: https://assemblyai.notion.site/assemblyai/AssemblyAI-Hackathon-Quickstart-76cf5c07aeff4f06ba9ac193899c0a4b

MED Challenge

Presented by The McMaster Medical Engineering Design Team - The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase demand for accessible healthcare. With sensors from personal devices right at your finger tips, there is endless possibility! Win this challenge by using at least one sensor from a laptop or mobile phone to address this healthcare need. Winning team members will each receive a $25 giftcard of their choosing. Details here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17OovQ3gliKQoCkR7jEPjxudLgcyN_oh6/view?usp=sharing

How Would You Imagine Music?

Powered by Beatcaps - Build a web app that uses the rhythmic events to experience music in a new way whether it be lights, external devices, or other! Each member of the winning team will receive a $25 giftcard of their choosing. Learn more at https://www.beatcaps.io/.

MyPalate Inc Challenge

Do you love food? Then this is the challenge for you! The goal is to help people enjoy food together without restrictions from diet, health, cultural, or resource differences. Create a solution that can break down the cultural and language barriers between a patient and dieticians. Each member of the winning team will receive a $25 giftcard of their choosing.

Seeing the Future

Are you interested in Augmented/Virtual Reality? Are you creating a project that could be used in an AR/VR setting? Apply for this challenge if your project includes the potential to be used in an AR setting. Each member of the winning team will receive a $25 giftcard of their choosing.

To Work or Not To Workout

Presented by AI Endurance - People who work out regularly often end up in a situation where they carry significant fatigue from previous workouts. Working out again on a given day despite fatigue might actually be detrimental to their fitness progress, their energy levels, and enjoyment of the sport.

Build an app that:

a) uses data from common fitness app API’s (e.g. Strava, Fitbit) and;
b) checks in with the user regarding their fatigue, motivation, mental state, sleep etc

Make recommendations if they should work out or rather rest on a given day to help them progress safely and productively in their fitness journey. Each member of the winning team will receive a $25 giftcard of their choosing.

MLH Best Use of Google Cloud

Build your hackathon project with a suite of secure storage, powerful compute, and integrated data analytics products provided by Google Cloud. See full list of products here: g.co/cloud. Each winning team member located in the US will receive a Google Cloud Swag Bag complete with a beanie, pillow, journal, socks and lanyards. International winners will receive a Google branded backpack.

MLH Best Space App powered by Space Force

The sky is not the limit! Try your hand at making a space-themed application for a chance to win a wireless Bluetooth speaker for you and your team from the U.S. Space Force! We’re looking for amazing solutions to any space-related problems you can imagine. For any sci-fi enthusiast, this is the perfect opportunity to push the limits of your creativity by building the technology of tomorrow, today. We can’t wait to see the solutions you build! Please note: the majority of your team members must be located in the United States to qualify.

MLH Best Hardware Hack Sponsored by Digi-Key

Using your preferred hardware or hardware emulator, build a hack for your chance to win a Grove Beginner Kit, with embedded Arduino Uno compatible board. Each winning team member will receive a prize!

MLH Best Use of CockroachDB

Build your hackathon project on CockroachDB's open source and indestructible SQL database. Utilize CockroachDB in your hack for a chance to win a 3D printing pen for each team member. What's more, All US residents that submit CockroachDB enabled projects will receive a free t-shirt while supplies last!

MLH Most Creative Use of Twilio

Twilio allows you to incorporate mobile messaging, phone calls and a ton of other awesome communication features right into your hackathon project using web service APIs. Are you building an e-commerce website and want to send text notifications or email confirmations once an order is completed? Or maybe your application needs to verify users based on their mobile numbers? Twilio makes all this possible and more. Build a hack that simplifies your life using any one of Twilio’s APIs for a chance to win a Twilio Swag Box and GameGo Console for you and each of your teammates!

MLH Best Domain Registered with Domain.com

Register a .tech domain name using Domain.com during the weekend. Each team may submit one entry per person on the team. Each winning team member will receive a PowerSquare Qi wireless phone charger.

Devpost Achievements

Submitting to this hackathon could earn you:

Judges

Amrita Kar

Amrita Kar

Carla Velastegui

Carla Velastegui

Catherine Chen

Catherine Chen

Humaira Niazi

Humaira Niazi

Kenneth Owen

Kenneth Owen

Kevin Huang

Kevin Huang

Michael Dohan

Michael Dohan

Nicole Last

Nicole Last

Olakitan Bello

Olakitan Bello

Rachel O'Neill

Rachel O'Neill

Reem Aziz

Reem Aziz

Roxanne Patel

Roxanne Patel

Sean Karoonian

Sean Karoonian

Veronica Bot

Veronica Bot

Victor Chen

Victor Chen

Vrushank Desai

Vrushank Desai

Wes Kerfoot

Wes Kerfoot

Yiguo Sun

Yiguo Sun

Uzair Faruqui

Uzair Faruqui

Ali Khan

Ali Khan

Aditya Kothari

Aditya Kothari

Tim Zou

Tim Zou

Samardeep Singh Sarna

Samardeep Singh Sarna

Anzor Berezgov

Anzor Berezgov

Kevin Lu

Kevin Lu
MEDT

Judging Criteria

  • Technical (40 points)
    How technically impressive is the hack? (20 points), Is the project complete? (10 points), Does the hack allow for a good user experience? (10 points)
  • Social/Industry Impact (20 points)
    Does the hack solve an important/relevant issue in society? (10 points), Does the hack have a positive impact for the target audience? (10 points)
  • Originality (20 points)
    Was the hack original? (10 points), Was the hack creative? (10 points)
  • Presentation (20 points)
    Was the project clearly explained? (10 points), Was the demo high quality? (10 points)

Questions? Email the hackathon manager

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