Partnership sponsors student electronics design competition

Altium LLC, a printed circuit board (PCB) software company, has partnered with the IPC Education Foundation (IPCEF) and Arduino to launch the first student electronics design competition that addresses environmental challenges. High school and college student teams may participate in the Innovation for Environmental Change 2021 International Student Design Competition for cash prizes, ranging from $500 to $1500.

The design competition is designed to engage student teams to help address common environmental concerns, such as air pollution, water quality, and solar energy capture, using Altium’s educational tools with Arduino hardware. Teams from high schools and colleges will use Altium’s Upverter Modular PCB design software and the Arduino Portenta H7 to create a prototype design that will improve the environment in each team’s local area.

Altium offers several educational initiatives that support high school STEM teachers and students, together with programs to support college students and industry professionals. Altium tools include Upverter Education training modules plus the Upverter Modular tool.

Altium launched Upverter Education in September 2020 to support STEM education, providing free essential tools and classroom resources to STEM educators who are teaching engineering, electronics design, and robotics.

Winning teams will be eligible to win cash prizes for each category: high school and college: $1500 (1^st prize), $750 (2^nd prize) and $500 (3^rd prize), free access to IPC APEX EXPO in San Diego, CA, January 25-27, 2022, as well as virtual access to AltiumLive 2022 CONNECT, co-located alongside the IPC APEX EXPO at the San Diego Convention Center. Designs will be featured on display at the IPC Design Booth and awards will be presented at the IPC APEX EXPO STEM Outreach Event.

Open registration for the design challenge runs from August 16 to October 1. Students can register at Upverter Education. Team designs must be received online by November 19. Winners will be announced on December 17, followed by virtual presentations for the first place and runner-up entrants.