Our Mission

Red Robot Hackathon aims to be an unforgettable experience for novice and veteran hackers alike!

We are a group of passionate hackers and makers from the CMU Robotics Club who want spread our love of creating through a hardware-based hackathon. Traditionally, hardware hacking's barrier of entry has been pretty high. Ideas are no good without the access to the parts, tools, and expertise to create your idea. For someone just starting out, figuring out how to do all of this can be quite intimidating. That's why we're here to present the Red Robot Hackathon: a hardware hackathon designed to help anyone with any level of experience get started with designing and playing with hardware!

Red Robot aims to break down the border between novices and hacking by providing a complete network of support for beginner and expert makers alike. Each team will get a starter kit of parts and compete in a series of mini-challenges designed to prepare them for the secret competition. Qualified mentors are available to help all hackers. In addition, plenty of food, drinks, and prizes will be provided to fuel you and your project. We can't wait to see what you make!

Why Red Robot?

Why should you spend time at Red Robot Hackathon?

Beginner Friendly

Instructions on how to build a robot from the starter kit will be provided!

Mentorship

Mentors will be available on Zoom and Piazza to help with anything and everything!

Networking

Meet new people who share your interests, hang out with fellow club members online, and make friends with all of our cool sponsors!

Prizes

No hackathon would be complete without prizes! Prizes will be awarded for both mini-challenges and the secret competition!

Inspiration

Learn the basic ins and outs of building hardware projects!

Swag

You'll get to keep the projects you make and get a Red Robot Hackathon t-shirt too!

FAQ

Below are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about Red Robot Hackathon. If your question isn't answered below, please don't hesitate to contact us!

What is Red Robot?

A hardware hackathon for the CMU community, hosted by the Robotics Club.

Who is able to participate?

Our competition is geared toward beginners experiment with robotics and hardware.

What expertise level do I need to compete?

None! Mentorship and a series of beginner-friendly mini-challenges will help teams learn skills and compete in our secret competition!

Am I required to stay for the whole event?

Definitely not! Participants are free to work however they want, and mentors will be available to help when hours permit.

Where will the Hackathon take place?

As of right now, the Hackathon is scheduled to take place in Andy's Alcove (on the bottom floor of the UC, next to the mailroom) and the Robotics Club room itself.

Can we work together as a team?

You can only work in teams of 3-5 people. Don't worry if you don't have a team when registering for the competition, as teams (if not preregistered) will be constructed at the start of the competition.

What can/should I build?

Each team will be given a base robot kit, to be modified as the team sees fit. At the end of the competition, the robots will compete (details to be released later).

Can I get a head start on my project?

We respectfully ask that you wait until hacking officially begins, so that every team has an equal and fair chance.