RIP software hackathons. Long live the hardware hackathon
7 hours ago
- #AI-integration
- #hackathon
- #hardware-innovation
- Participated in a hackathon in Vilnius during the pink soup festival, using an old rotary phone wired to a Raspberry Pi for a two-day project.
- Built an AI agent integrated with Spotify API to research and play niche music based on voice requests, like artists linked to Epstein files or 70s Zambian psychedelic rock.
- Used ElevenLabs to give the AI a warm Yorkshire gentleman personality, with the system handling audio, bell ringing, and hangup via websocket.
- No code was written manually during the hackathon, reflecting a shift in focus from coding to system integration and hardware-software interaction.
- Proposes that hackathons should emphasize hardware and repurposing old tech, suggesting projects like AI-driven microwaves or retro devices turned into modern tools.
- Advocates for hackathons to prioritize creativity and absurdity over business cases, aiming for ambitious, unconventional projects that challenge norms.