Nordic Semiconductor and Hackster.io launch Make it Matter design competition

Nordic Semiconductor and Hackster.io have come together to launch ‘Make it Matter’, a global engineering design contest where engineers and makers are challenged to create inspiring Matter-ready smart home applications. A smart home can increase comfort, save costs, make life easier, and provide better assistance to the elderly, disabled, or children.

Driving community innovation

Harnessing the collective engineering expertise of Hackster's worldwide community, the Make it Matter competition is calling for pioneering solutions from developers worldwide. The overarching goal is to facilitate knowledge-exchange among diverse regions and communities, primarily focusing on improving navigation, mobility, and communication within residential settings. These enhancements are intended to cater to a wide spectrum of needs, including individuals with mobility impairments, cognitive decline, mental health concerns, or those residing in complex household environments.

Dedicated Nordic development tools

The contest officially begun on September 1, 2023. As part of the challenge, Nordic is handing out 100 of its newly launched nRF7002 Development Kit (DK), accompanied by an nRF52840 Dongle, to developers. These tools will empower participants to innovate and create projects aligned with the contest's central theme. Contestants are granted a 30-day window to submit an application for complimentary hardware, before September 29.

Why Matter matters

Entrants are expected to leverage Matter, an emerging standard protocol within the smart home space. Matter's fundamental objective is to enhance interoperability among devices originating from various brands and ecosystems. It enables users to seamlessly control smart lighting, locks, and other devices concurrently, utilizing any Matter-compatible platform. This can be achieved through iOS or Android devices or via their preferred voice assistant.

Hardware and submission details

Projects may be developed using any of the nRF5340 SoC-based DKs from Nordic Semiconductor, including the nRF7002 DK, nRF5340 DK and the Nordic Thingy:53. This gives participants a head start if they already have or plan to acquire the necessary hardware. The deadline for final product submissions is November 30, and the winners will be announced by December 21.

Judges from both Nordic Semiconductor and Connectivity Standards Alliance will be reviewing the final submissions, and a total of $4000 in prizes will be awarded.