New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Challenge

This competition is open to anyone!

You can submit a design as an individual or as part of a pair, group or team. Participants under 16 years of age must have a parent or guardian make the submission on their behalf. Submissions must include the design creator or team’s name and a video of the design in action (90 seconds or less). Feel free to include any additional details regarding the submission to be considered by our judges.

Don’t forget that you may submit as many unique designs as you like and you are welcome to submit as part of different groups too!

At the end of the submission period, a panel of judges will select one submission as the winner based on the following criteria:

• Creativity
• Originality
• Execution
• Use of the Edison robot(s) in the creation

The contest winner (chosen by our panel of judges) will win an EdPack10 (set of ten Edison robots).

The prize will be shipped to the winner’s chosen shipping address (pending courier availability). N.B. The prize cannot be exchanged for other products or cash.

What you do with your 10 robots is up to you!

Why not consider donating the 10 Edison robots to your school or a local library? Or give each of your friends a robot so you can have the robots all sumo wrestle? 

The choice is yours!

The submission window is from December 1st, 2018 until January 15th, 2019. Entries received after 15 January midnight GMT-4 will not be considered.

The winner, selected by our panel of judges, will be notified via email no later than February 8th, 2019.

One of the best-known parts of the New Year’s Eve celebration held in Times Square, New York City is the lowering of the Times Square Ball, commonly referred to as ‘the ball drop’. The ball drop has been run annually since 1907.

At 11:59 p.m. on December 31st of the year, the ball begins its 141 feet (43 meters) descent down a flagpole. A large count-down clock runs as the ball makes its 60-second long journey, ringing in the New Year when it reaches the bottom at 12:00 a.m. January 1st of the next year.

Never seen the ball drop? Check out this YouTube video of NYE 1998 to see what it looks like in action!

Interesting facts to inspire your creation:

• The modern ball used in recent ball-drops is 12 feet (3.65m) in diameter and weighs 11,875 pounds (5,386 Kg).
• The ball contains a computerized LED lighting system and the outer surface of the ball is made up of triangular-shaped crystal panels.
• The flagpole the ball slides down reaches 475 feet (145m) above the street.

Want to learn even more about the ball drop? Check out this YouTube video of the history of the Times Square Ball Drop! 

Why not try to incorporate some or all of these:

• Music
• A countdown
• Figurines
• Use a disco ball
• Set up the Times Square scene
• Program Edison with one of our programming languages (EdBlocks, EdScratch, EdWare or EdPy) or with the pre-programmed barcodes and a remote control

Or create your own New Year’s Eve count down creation!

Full Terms and Conditions:

The promoter is: Microbric Pty Ltd.

The competition is open globally to participants aged 16 years or over except employees of Microbric Pty Ltd and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition.

There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.

By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.

Route to entry for the competition and details of how to enter are via https://meetedison.com/2018-edison-robot-design-contest/

Multiple entries from the same person will be accepted as long as each entry has a unique concept.

Closing date for entry will be January 15th, 2018. After this date no further entries to the competition will be permitted.

No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.

The rules of the competition and how to enter are as follows:

1. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
2. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this competition.
3. The prize is as follows: 10 Edison robots (1x EdPack10) valued at $369 USD. The prize is as stated and no cash or other alternatives will be offered. The prize is not transferable.
4. Winner will be chosen from all entries received and verified by Promoter and a panel of judges appointed by the Promoter.
5. The winner will be notified by email within 28 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
6. The winner will advise the Promoter of a valid shipping address. Should the Promoters chosen courier company not deliver to the winners address, a new winner may be selected. The promoter will notify the winner when the prize is released for delivery. Any applicable customs/import fees are payable by the winner.
7. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
8. By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
9. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name in any publicity material, as well as their entry (image/video). Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current Australian data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
10. The winner’s first name will be available 28 days after closing date by emailing the following address: social@microbric.com
11. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
12. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Network. You are providing your information to Microbric Pty Ltd and not to any other party.

Microbric Pty Ltd will judge the competition and decide on the winner, which will be selected from all complete entries emailed to social@microbric.com.

Microbric Pty Ltd‘s decision as to those able to take part and selection of winners is final. No correspondence relating to the competition will be entered into.

Microbric Pty Ltd shall have the right, at its sole discretion and at any time, to change or modify these terms and conditions, such change shall be effective immediately upon posting to this webpage.

Microbric Pty Ltd also reserves the right to cancel the competition if circumstances arise outside of its control.