Check out TI's MCU BoosterPack design challenge

Check out TI's MCU BoosterPack design challenge

Developers can now give their TI microcontroller (MCU) LaunchPad Evaluation Kits an extra boost – and showcase it at one of the largest technology trade shows in the world!

Texas Instruments (TI), in collaboration with Mouser Electronics, is inviting engineers, university students, and hobbyists in the United States to enter the TI MCU BoosterPack Design Challenge.

TI MCU BoosterPacks are plug-in modules that enable developers, students and hobbyists to add greater functionality and peripherals to one of three TI MCU LaunchPad evaluation platforms. Up to three winners will be flown to San Jose, California, to demonstrate their winning designs in the TI booth (#1607) at DESIGN West 2013.

Winners may also have the opportunity to have their original BoosterPack plug-in module designs considered for manufacture by CircuitCo Electronics. (For the avoidance of doubt, TI will not be under any obligation to manufacture any BoosterPack plug-in module designs.) For more information on BoosterPack plug-in modules and to see previous examples, designers can go to www.ti.com/bpdc-pr-lp7

The MCU BoosterPack Design Challenge is an opportunity for innovators to design a creative BoosterPack that exhibits a unique feature or compelling functionality that is not currently offered in the market today. Makers can design a BoosterPack leveraging the differentiated features of any of the three TI MCU LaunchPad evaluation kits: MSP430 LaunchPad, C2000 LaunchPad and Stellaris LM4F120 LaunchPad.

The TI MCU LaunchPad ecosystem allows engineers to design easy-to-use, modular boards targeted at low-power, real-time control and connectivity applications. BoosterPack plug-in modules enable greater functionality, flexibility, peripherals and scalability to easily extend LaunchPad's capabilities with LCD, LED lighting, capacitive touch, motor control, Bluetooth and more.

TI MCU BoosterPack Design Challenge guidelines
Challenge participants will have until March 1, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. CST, to submit an original BoosterPack design online at www.ti.com/bpdc-pr-ep. Some of the requirements include:

• Providing a schematic and a brief, written description of the BoosterPack design.
• Designing a BoosterPack with bill of materials (BOM) not exceeding $40 USD and conforming to the BoosterPack pinout standard.
• Uploading the project to either Google Drive or Github online file sharing systems.
• Recording a video describing the BoosterPack idea and uploading it to YouTube.

Go to www.ti.com/byob-bpdc-pr-rules to read the full contest rules applicable to this contest.

After the challenge deadline, a judging panel consisting of individuals from TI, Mouser and CircuitCo will determine the three contest winners. Winners will be announced March 22, 2013 on ti.com/byob. Entities affiliated with this contest include TI, Mouser, CircuitCo, Total Phase, Anaren, 43oh.com and Olimex LTD.

Join other LaunchPad enthusiasts and BYOB (Build Your Own BoosterPack)
Since their introduction in 2010, MCU LaunchPads have quickly become a popular evaluation platform within the design community, selling close to half a million kits to date. Many have already built their own BoosterPack plug-in module and shared them with the online community. The best-selling C5000 Audio Capacitive Touch BoosterPack and the C2000 LED BoosterPack as well as the new CC2530 ZigBee BoosterPack are examples of BoosterPack plug-in modules, but they are just the beginning. Join the LaunchPad community, build your own BoosterPack and see how far your designs can take you!

For more information about this contest and to submit an original BoosterPack design, visit ti.com/byob. To find out more about BoosterPacks plug-in modules, visit ti.com/boosterpack

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