Gallery: science hack day

Photo: k15photos

Creative minds of all ages — the youngest participant was 13 — gathered for a two day intensive science hack event. Photo: k15photos

For two days 60 minds of all ages came together for a non-stop intensive collaborative effort with one goal: hack and build cool stuff.

The creations include an impact sensor for the blind, an app that silences incoming calls and returns an automated SMS reply, a gas leak alert system and even an app to triangulate the location of a fire for the fire department.

In addition to selecting the impact sensor for the blind as an overall winning creation, awards were handed out for best use of data, best use of hardware and best design.

The overall winning team is all under 18 and the prize for best use of hardware was awarded to a form 1 student.

“Science Hack day is a weekend event where anyone excited about making weird, silly or serious things with science come together,” says Emmanuel Evance, who organized the Dar event on Saturday and Sunday, January 9 and 10.

The event — the first of its kind in Tanzania — was organized by KINU innovation with the support of Thomson Reuters, End Note, Black Tomato and Buni.

The co-creation space was user driven and Evance says most attendees were more interested in technology than science.

“So we set up tech talks that would inspire participants to use science as well,” says Evance.

“The design challenges and tech talks served to inspire people, bring out their creativity and help them look at things in a different way.

Evance says there will be more Science Hack Days in the future for people with ‘just insatiable curiosity.’

Editor’s note: updated at 14:05 on January 13, 2016 to include names of sponsors.

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