Judging the UQ MARS Microcontroller Hackathon

For the second year running I've judged the UQ MARS Microcontroller Hackathon, run by UQ's Mechatronics and Robotics Society.

The format is simple: student teams, microcontrollers, a deadline, then a night of presentations and live demos on stage. The projects are the good kind of varied. This year one team opened with "from the creators of iBin", which is a strong way to start a slide, and another pitched bringing back virtual pets, complete with Tamagotchi sales figures.

Judging is the easy job: ask questions, watch demos either work or not, and try to pick winners. Having spent two years on the judging table now, the standard keeps going up. If you're a UQ student who likes microcontrollers, go do it next year.