DARPA Network Challenge Win $40K

[rsisk]

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What is stopping someone from setting up their own 8 foot red weather balloon, and throwing everyone off?

It's in the rules

Balloons will be in readily accessible locations, visible from nearby roadways and accompanied by DARPA representatives.

So they would have to spoof the DARPA rep as well

[ATannahill]

I am game, it seems that there will be ten red balloons displayed for one day that we have to find. I wonder how good the satellite setting of google maps would be? Do they update daily?

[Eugene Fang]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

I wonder how good the satellite setting of google maps would be? Do they update daily?

I believe they don't update images even close to daily.

[dqmot17]

Originally Posted by Pikat

I believe they don't update images even close to daily.

I believe they don't even update them once their done. They're still trying to get it finished.

[Travis Hoffman]

Where's Tyler Hansbrough when you need him? He's good at using social networks to find dogs; stationary balloons would be a piece of cake.

[Greg Needel]

Join the facebook group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=163627713147

[Wiz]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

Join the facebook group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=163627713147

So where is the money going? I'd suggest $1000 to each team that kicks in a location, and the balance to FIRST to use as they see fit.

[BrendanB]

I'll cover manchester...

I have SAT's tomorrow so I might just swing by the millyard to check if there are any red balloons/odd deliveries to the FIRST building.

[ATannahill]

I disagree. We are all FIRST participants but are doing this outside of FIRST, don't get confused. We are using CD and Facebook for this mission, so if any goes to support an entity besides the people working to find the ballons, it should be those two.

[johnr]

So the winner recieves 40 grand and the tax man gets,what, 25% on gambling winnings. Oh, and the winner gets bumped up to a higher tax bracket. I'm just guessing but the winner is going to be busy on april 15th looking for tax shelters.

[kevincrispie]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

http://networkchallenge.darpa.mil/

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Internet, DARPA has announced the DARPA Network Challenge, a competition that will explore the role the Internet and social networking plays in the timely communication, wide area team-building and urgent mobilization required to solve broad scope, time-critical problems.

The challenge is to be the first to submit the locations of ten moored, 8 foot, red weather balloons located at ten fixed locations in the continental United States. Balloons will be in readily accessible locations and visible from nearby roadways.


With the network of Team in the US I think there is a very easy chance we could win this. 40k, Perhaps if we win we could give the money to FIRST to re-grant to some teams in need. Or split it amongst the teams that helped find the balloons.

Announcement October 29, 2009
Registration Opens December 1, 2009
Balloons Launched December 5, 2009
Submission Deadline December 14, 2009

That's a ton of money. I agree, with a bunch of people from teams, there is a ton of great thinkers all around the nation.

[Ted Weisse]

Originally Posted by NickE

A MIT Team has won.

https://networkchallenge.darpa.mil/

Found this in another thread...

[John G]

Of course, a group of kid's at MIT won the 40 k. kinda sad for the rest of us. Oh well.

[Ian Curtis]

It didn't necessarily have to be sad. If you reported a balloon you got $2,000 bucks, and if you referred a balloon reporter you got $1,000 bucks, and if you referred the referrer of the reporter you still got $500 bucks, so on and so forth. Pretty neat idea, obviously effective.

MIT's Red Balloon Team

[1986titans]

Yeah, if everyone was referred down the chain completely, $37500 goes to the people who found the balloons, and $2500 goes to charity. MIT just provided the website for 10 groups of people to meet up.