Automation Contest 2016

Automation is defined as the technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically. In the Automation Contest, we invite you to share your automation creations.

Prizes are provided by SparkFun and the list includes a 3D printer, SparkFun Invention kits, SparkFun WiFi shields, and more. Automation can simplify your life, optimize your home, and in this case, win you some sweet prizes!

Want more contests? Check out Instructables' current contests here!

The Automation Contest 2016 is closed.

Official Rules »All Contests »How to Write a Great Instructable »

Grand Prize

WINNERS

Winners Finalists All Entries

Grand Prize (1)

Automated All Grain Electric Beer Brewery for 100 €/USD by Ruben Marc Speybrouck

First Prize (3)

Passive IR to IR Canon Trigger by mr_fid in Cameras

3.5K

DIY "Family Hub" Refrigerator With Raspberry Pi + Camera by mikeandlauren in Raspberry Pi

22K

DIY-SLS-3D-Printer by Vulcaman in 3D Printing

164K

Second Prize (10)

Build a Rhizotron! (SoilCam) by joshdont in Raspberry Pi

11K

Electronic Programmable Arduino Fireworks Show by JustinLovesTheTech in Arduino

17K

DIY Smart Follow Me Drone With Camera (Arduino Based) by Imetomi in Robots

339K

GrOwn - a Solar Powered Arduino Garden by Zamperweenie in Arduino

10K

Who Is at the Coffee Machine? Facial Recognition Using Raspberry Pi, OpenCV and Sigfox by luisomoreau in Raspberry Pi

16K

Automated / Voice Activated Cat Feeder by CompactKidney in Pets

4.6K

Healthy, Smart & Natural Air Cleaner With Arduino, WIFI and Blynk by jeanotP1314 in 3D Printing

13K

Dual Axis Solar Tracker With Online Energy Monitor by geo bruce in Robots

137K

Peggy - Arduino Portable RF Rain Tracker by Acmecorporation in Arduino

11K

Homemade CNC Machine by Gursimran Singh 425 in Arduino

112K

Runner Up (23)

Piano Safe With Melody 'key' by kenyer in Arduino

5.2K

Diy Smart Blind Stick Using Arduino by DIYmechanics in Arduino

93K

IoT: Raspberry Pi Robot With Video Streamer and Pan/Tilt Camera Remote Control Over Internet by mjrovai in Raspberry Pi

54K

RaspberryPI HAL9000 by ArtBIT in Raspberry Pi

141K

Nerf+Arduino= Sentry Gun by simonres in Arduino

10K

Arduino - Laser Tripwire Alarm System by Simple-Circuits in Arduino

52K

3d Printing: Zizzy-A Robot Assistant by mikey77 in 3D Printing

5.9K

Lettuce for Life - Arduino 101 Based Automated Controller for Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Aquaponics, Etc. Intel Curie by evandromiami in Arduino

73K

ULTRA CHEEP HOME AUTOMATION UNDER $5 by vina1991 in Electronics

90K

Quidditch Trunk With Moving Bludgers by njdev95av in Halloween

10K

Arduino Password Unlock Door Security System by Ardumotive_com in Arduino

35K

Sonar Collar for Blind Dogs by Eric_Hill in Assistive Tech

8.3K

Fully Automated Arduino Roller Coaster Control System by 16hollja in Arduino

5.1K

Longboard With NeoPixel LEDStrip Reacting to Speed by Rolf Hut in Arduino

5.4K

SmartPhone Controlled RGB MOOD Light by geekrex in Arduino

31K

DIY Electric Soil Finger by Sverd Industries in Arduino

4.8K

RGB STEEL - Low Cost, Steel Frame, Color Mixing 3D Printer by aldricnegrier in 3D Printing

84K

Automated Ultrasonic Misting 3D Print Polisher PRO by MechEngineerMike in 3D Printing

70K

Home Automation Using Arduino With Wifi, Bluetooth and IR Remote Control by Amith MP in Arduino

74K

Alohomora :: Unlock the Door by chienline in Arduino

13K

Control Your Home Appliances With TV Remote!! by Yavnik in Arduino

12K

Self-Powered Automatic Water Tap by taifur in Sensors

61K

Automated Navigation Robot With Gas (MQ-2), Temperature & Humidity (DHT11) Sensors by JackSoldano in Electronics

9.3K

37 PRIZES

Grand Prize (1)

One Grand Prize winner will receive:

a LulzBot Mini 3D Printer
an Instructables prize pack including a robot t-shirt

First Prize (3)

Three First Prize winners will receive:

a SparkFun Inventor's Kit for Photon
a SparkFun Inventor's Kit
a RFduino - Simblee Starter Kit
a SparkFUn WiFi Shield
an Instructables prize pack including a robot t-shirt

Second Prize (10)

Ten Second Prize winners will receive:

a SparkFun Essential Sensor Kit
a SparkFun RedBoard - Programmed with Arduino
an Instructables prize pack including a robot t-shirt

Runner Up (23)

Twenty three runner up prize winners will receive:

a Teensy 3.2
an Instructables prize pack including a robot t-shirt

HOW IT WORKS

Write an Instructable

Create a new Instructable that fits the guidelines outlined in the contest description above. To be eligible, Instructables must be published between May 23, 2016 and Jul 4, 2016 (11:59pm PT).

Never published an Instructable?
Learn more about how it works.

Why Publish? »

Existing member, but don't have an eligible Instructable?

New Instructable »

Enter

Upon publishing your Instructable you'll see checkboxes for open contests. Select Automation Contest 2016. If you have entries currently eligible for entry, it will also show up by clicking "Enter this Contest" on the right side of this page.

Accepting

Entries are accepted by Instructables staff within one business day Monday - Friday. What matters is the submission time, not acceptance time.

Judging

A panel of judges made up of Instructables staff and respected members of the community rate the finalists. The averages of the ratings determine the winners.

Winners

When the winners are decided they will be notified and announced here on the contest page.