They are at the heart of chargers for electric vehicles, help turn industrial and home appliances into smart IoT devices, and can control medical ventilators. Now, Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) wants to inspire new ways to make life easier, safer and greener with XMC™ microcontrollers along with other Infineon products. Together with the element14 community, the chip manufacturer has initiated a design challenge for the community members.
“A few weeks ago, we have reached the landmark of 100 million XMC microcontrollers sold,” said Ralf Koedel, Marketing Director Microcontrollers at Infineon. “In this challenge run in partnership with the element14 community, we are asking developers for thought-provoking new designs based on various Infineon devices including XMC that could help sustain our planet. Examples could include buoys to monitor microplastics in the ocean or trash collection robots.”
“Our goal is to ignite the creativity of our community members,” said Dianne Kibbey, Head of the element14 community. “Ensuring the future of our planet has never been more important, and it is clear that there is not just one way to solve the challenges we face. The answer to protecting our planet for future generations will be through the deployment of multiple technologies and devices; this design challenge has the potential to create such designs that could contribute to a sustainable future for us all.”
In the first step, Infineon and element14 ask community members to come up with design blueprints based on a defined list of Infineon products supplemented with further sensors and actuators as needed. A jury of Infineon and element14 experts will then select the 20 most promising ideas. These sponsored challengers will receive a kit of products to build their designs.
Participants are asked to document their project on the element14 community in order to spread their ideas throughout the community and inspire others. A minimum number of ten blog entries is required to qualify for the final selection of the winning designs. Media-rich posts with photos, videos and code samples will score extra points in the evaluation. From all projects finished and documented by August 10, the jury will choose the winning designs.
Challenge timeline
- Application deadline: 25 May 2020
- Announcement of Sponsored Challengers: 1 June 2020
- Projects due: 10 August 2020
- Announcement of the winners: End of August
Challenge Kit
- Microcontroller: XMC4200 Platform2Go kit
- Motor control: DC Motor Shield TLE94112 for Arduino
- Sensing: Shield2Go Pressure Sensor DPS368
- Sensing: Shield2Go 3D magnetic sensor TLV493D
- Smart switching: High current PROFET™ +2 Shield with BTS7002 for Arduino
Further information: www.infineon.com/element14-design-challenge
