Dortmund hacks! The hackathon for digital smart home and smart city innovations in your city
In a digitally networked world in which personal data is constantly being collected, we face major challenges in terms of transparency and fairness. While growing digitalization offers immense opportunities for more efficient and sustainable living spaces, the potential of connecting smart homes and smart cities often remains untapped. Citizens are often unclear about the use of their data and do not benefit appropriately from the business models based on this data. As a result, trust in digital platforms is increasingly eroding due to data protection breaches and the exploitation of dominant market positions.
The Opt-IN Hackathon addresses this issue and aims to develop innovative solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also ethically responsible. We are building on swarm knowledge and want to work on smart solutions together with business, science and civil society. That's why we're inviting developers, creatives, innovators and data experts to the Opt-IN Hackathon in Dortmund - the event that will shape the smart home and smart city ecosystem of the future!
The hackathon is your chance to dive deep into the topics of data protection, digital self-determination and smart city development. You will not only put your technical knowledge and creativity to the test, but also make valuable contacts with experts from industry and science and expand your network. In interdisciplinary teams, you will work on real challenges and develop solutions that can have a real impact.
Spend a weekend in one of the most exciting cities in the Ruhr region and work in interdisciplinary teams. We are looking for IT nerds as well as designers - whether students, citizens or professionals. The aim is to involve a broad and diverse group of people in the discourse and to break new ground together. Therefore, the hackathon will be held mainly in English to give international participants the opportunity to actively participate.
These are the challenges
How can innovative use cases and business models be developed within the existing VREEDA app that link the smart lamps with public mobility and energy consumption data?
Your task is to develop new use cases that use real-time data on energy availability or traffic, for example. For example, the VREEDA lamp can currently visualize soccer match action, such as goals scored by your favourite club. Your challenge is to create further solutions that both strengthen data protection and increase user engagement through the transparent and value-adding use of data. This could be done through incentive mechanisms that reward users for sustainable behaviour or offer them personalized, data-driven recommendations.
At the same time, this application can also include a new business model that involves external service providers. For example, VREEDA cooperates with service providers such as insurance companies. Once users have given their consent, they receive direct access to IoT data in order to offer their customers tailored services and discounts. Other potential areas could include the use of dynamic electricity tariffs based on the electricity exchange price or the integration of mobility data to optimize the use of public transport. The focus is on the use of smart VREEDA lamps, but other devices can be added if necessary.
How can a gamified approach be developed that motivates citizens to save using public data on energy and resource savings?
Use specific energy consumption data to provide personalized feedback to users. Develop a playful approach that motivates citizens to reduce their energy and resource consumption. Integrate game mechanisms such as point systems or challenges that reward energy-saving behavior and promote community involvement. This should be achieved by using incentive mechanisms that not only reward energy-saving behavior, but also encourage active participation of citizens in the data community. Ensure that all data protection measures are taken into account to ensure the security and transparency of data use.
Do you have an exciting idea for improving and linking the smart home and smart city?
Present your innovative idea that cleverly combines smart home and smart city and addresses specific urban challenges. The aim is to develop individual prototypes. Describe how your solution works, which technologies and data sources it requires and how it can improve citizens' quality of life. Your idea should offer practicable solutions to existing problems while maintaining data protection. Use this opportunity to attract potential team members and realize your vision during the hackathon.
About us: The Opt-IN research project
As part of the project "Optimizing informational sustainability for citizens in data ecosystems" (Opt-IN), our research team is working on developing a data protection-compliant ecosystem. This should enable citizens to actively exercise their fundamental right to informational self-determination. The project team is investigating practical use cases in the context of smart homes and smart cities. Based on the latest technologies, we are developing initial business applications, integrating additional hardware components and designing a best-practice toolkit for platform services. The three-year project is a joint research project between the Technical University of Dortmund, the start-up VREEDA GmbH from Essen, the IT company logarithmo GmbH & Co. KG from Dortmund and the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering (ISST). As an interdisciplinary research team, we attach great importance to combining our expertise and experience in the fields of innovation, digitalization, data protection and IoT solutions to develop intelligent solutions for smart home and smart city environments. Find out more about the project partners on our Opt-IN website.
These are the most important dates and deadlines
05.10.2024: Start of applications
10.11.2024 (extended): Application deadline
12.11.2024: Announcement of the selected participants (we reserve the right to a second round of applications or a succession procedure)
15.11. to 17.11.2024: Hackathon “Dortmund Hackt”
- Friday 4-7 p.m.: Welcome and keynotes | Fraunhofer ISST
- Saturday from 9 am: Working phase | TU Dortmund Campus South
- Sunday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.: Working phase, pitches and judging | TU Dortmund Campus South
Do you still have questions?
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