Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics Lab Hackathon

Theme: Unconventional and Natural Computing

Overview

Join us for an exciting hackathon hosted by the Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics Lab, where we push the boundaries of conventional computing with a focus on unconventional and natural computing. This year's theme centers around the challenge of generating random numbers, with an emphasis on maximizing bits of entropy per second per dollar.

Hackathon Details

• Date:

  • Friday August 23rd: Kickoff, Team Formation, Idea Jam
  • Saturday August 24th: Build, Simulation and Code
  • Sunday August 25th: Finalize Projects, Prepare Deliverables

• Venue: Boca Raton Campus SE 314 and the FAU AI Sandbox in the Wimberly Library

Challenge

Participants will compete to design and implement innovative solutions for random number generation. The key metric for this challenge is achieving the highest bits of entropy per second for the lowest cost (per dollar).

Agenda

• Friday:

  • Kickoff: Introduction to the hackathon and theme
  • Teams: Team formation and registration
  • Idea Jam: Brainstorming and sharing initial ideas

• Saturday:

  • Build: Begin working on projects
  • Sim/Code: Continue developing and refining solutions

• Sunday:

  • Finish: Final touches on projects
  • Deliverables: Prepare and submit your final projects for judging

Demo Day

On Sunday, each team will present their work in a demo format, judged on several criteria:

1. Simulation: Quality of the simulation used
2. Code: Efficiency and innovation in the code
3. Paper: Quality and clarity of project white paper
4. Site: Presentation of the project on a web page
5. Video: A brief video demo of the project

Judging Criteria

Projects will be judged on the following:

• Bits of Entropy per Second per Dollar (main criterion)
• Creativity and Innovation
• Technical Implementation
• Presentation Quality

Prizes

• 1st Place: $500
• 2nd Place: $250
• 3rd Place: $125

Social Media Engagement

• YouTube, Instagram, X, TikTok: Engage with our content on these platforms using the hashtag #UnconventionalComputing #AISandbox #MPCR
• Github Stack: Share your development process and connect with other participants.

Unconventional Computing

Explore and incorporate the following unconventional computing methods into your projects:

• Optics: Utilize light-based systems, such as photonic circuits and optical fibers, for computation, offering high-speed data processing and parallelism.
• Acoustic Analogs: Leverage sound waves and acoustics for data processing, mimicking computational tasks through resonance and vibration patterns.
• Stochastic Oscillators: Employ randomness and noise in systems to perform tasks like random number generation, leveraging natural variability.
• Swarm Intelligence: Model computation based on the collective behavior of decentralized systems, inspired by biological swarms like ants, bees, or birds.
• Thermal Computing: Use temperature variations and heat flow to perform calculations, where thermal dynamics drive the logic operations.
• Social Dynamics: Apply principles of social interactions and human behavior modeling to computational systems, simulating social networks and group dynamics.
• Color-based Systems: Implement color patterns and variations as a medium for encoding and processing information, utilizing visual perception.
• Quantum Computing: Explore computation using quantum bits (qubits) where superposition and entanglement enable complex calculations far beyond classical computing.
• Biological Computing: Harness living cells and organisms, such as DNA computing or bacterial colonies, for computation, where biological processes perform calculations.
• Chemical Computing: Use chemical reactions to encode and process information, creating circuits and logic gates through molecular interactions.
• Neuromorphic Computing: Develop systems that mimic the neural architecture of the human brain, enabling energy-efficient and parallel processing.
• Memristor Computing: Utilize memristors—resistors with memory—to create non-volatile memory systems that can also perform computation directly within memory.
• Mechanical Computing: Revive mechanical systems like gears, levers, and pulleys for computation, providing a tangible and energy-efficient alternative to electronic systems.
• Chaos Computing: Exploit chaotic systems where small changes in initial conditions lead to vastly different outcomes, using chaos theory for unpredictable and complex computation.
• Spintronics: Use the intrinsic spin of electrons and associated magnetic moments for data storage and logic operations, enabling faster and more energy-efficient computing.
• DNA Origami Computing: Create computational systems based on the folding and binding properties of DNA strands, enabling nanoscale data processing.
• Organic Electronics: Employ organic semiconductors for flexible, lightweight, and potentially biodegradable computing devices.
• Ferrofluid Computing: Use magnetic fluids to create reconfigurable computing systems, where the shape and position of fluid elements perform logical operations.
• Hybrid Computing: Combine multiple unconventional computing paradigms, such as integrating quantum and biological systems, to create hybrid computational models with enhanced capabilities.

Final Deliverables

Submit your final project GitHub link with all components, including code, documentation, and a video demo, by Sunday evening.

Budget Consideration

Participants are encouraged to think creatively without spending any money.

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We can't wait to see the innovative and creative solutions you'll bring to this challenge. Let's redefine what's possible in the realm of computing together!