Registration Opening Soon!
natHACKS is an event like no other, inspiring beginners to develop practical
neurotech skills and challenging competent hackers to apply themselves
in this growing and exciting field. Spanning two weeks and culminating
in a 64-hour hackathon weekend, the event will combine workshops, challenges,
and networking opportunities for anyone interested in neurotechnology.
With three different streams and separate judging criteria based on experience
level, we're thrilled to allow neurotech enthusiasts to get their hands
dirty in a diverse selection of projects.
NOTICE: Registration is not yet open, but you can join
our newsletter to be one of the first to hear. Click the 'Notify Me'
button to sign up!
Begins: November 14th, 2024
Ends: November 17th, 2024
Prize values will be released soon.
All winners are eligible for in-kind support from our various startup
service providers!
BCI hardware is available for hackers, so you can have a hands-on
experience developing a neurotech program with your own brain data!
Available for pickup (over a week before hacking starts) at our 3 in-person hacking sites or shipped for virtual participants.
Leading up to and during the hackathon, we will be hosting 20+ hours of workshops to get you up to speed on Python, BCI Hardware, Git, Machine Learning and more!
You are eligible to receive exclusive NAT swag just by completing
your submission!
We recommend applying early to ensure you
snag one before they run out!
Building a network is important! One of the strongest factors contributing to successful job applications is your network. If you think you want to pursue a career in neurotech, neuroscience, or tech, this is the place to build your network!
Are you not eligible to join as a participant, but still want to be
involved in natHACKS? Fret not!
If you are a tech- or business-savvy
individual, with significant demonstrable experience,
you can support project teams through a mentorship role!
Are you not eligible to join as a participant, but still want to be
involved in natHACKS? Fret not!
If you are a bona fide leader in industry or academia, you can support the event by judging projects
on their technical/business prowess!
Information on hardware available will be released soon!
Provide a Real World Problem for natHACKS Participants
Do you have an interesting challenge that is conducive to a neurotechnology or bio-sensing solution? A backburner idea you want to get off the ground but don't have bandwidth to develop?
NeurAlbertaTech (NAT) is currently seeking “Problem Providers” for our third annual natHACKS hackathon weekend (November 16th - November 19th). One month before the hackathon, Problem Providers have a unique opportunity to “reverse pitch” a challenge to a talent pool of several hundred young innovators across the province. In the weeks leading up to the hackathon weekend Problem Providers will act as subject matter experts - guiding their matched teams in exploring and developing a solution.
Problem Providers will benefit from the opportunity to explore their ideas in a de-risked, zero cost environment. With talent from domains such as Neuroscience, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, and Design project teams are interdisciplinary in nature, ensuring that solutions take a holistic approach. There’s a chance you may even come across talent that would be an asset to your research group, and with Alberta Innovates and Mitacs as close partners we are positioned to facilitate matched funding opportunities in support of continued development.
This Schedule is Tentative and Subject to Change.
| Time | November 16th | November 17th | November 18th | November 19th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 - 10:00 | Coding Problem 9:00 - 10:00 | Coding Problem 9:00 - 10:00 | Hacking ENDS Ends at 10:00 | |
| 10:00 - 11:00 | Sponsor Workshop10:00 - 11:00 | Hacking | Naptime 10:00 - 11:00 | |
| Teams Helping Teams 10:30 - 11:00 | ||||
| 11:00 - 12:00 | Lunch + Trivia 2 11:00 - 11:30 | Lunch 11:00 - 12:00 | Lunch 11:00 - 12:00 | |
| Lunch 11:30 - 12:00 | ||||
| 12:00 - 13:00 | Sponsor Workshop12:00 - 13:00 | Trivia 3 12:00 - 12:30 | Judging 12:00 - 16:00 | |
| Hacking | ||||
| 13:00 - 14:00 | Teams Helping Teams 13:00 - 14:00 | Workshop 413:00 - 14:00 | ||
| 14:00 - 15:00 | Booth Event 14:00 - 17:00 | Hacking | ||
| 15:00 - 16:00 | Swag Bag Pickup 15:00 - 16:00 | |||
| 16:00 - 17:00 | Dinner 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Booth 16:00 - 18:00 | Closing Ceremony16:00 - 17:00 | |
| 17:00 - 18:00 | Opening Ceremony17:00 - 18:00 | Dinner 17:00 - 18:00 | Workshop 517:00 - 18:00 | |
| 18:00 - 19:00 | Hacking | Workshop 318:00 - 19:00 | Dinner 18:00 - 19:00 | |
| 19:00 - 20:00 | Hacking | Workshop 619:00 - 20:00 | ||
| 20:00 - 21:00 | Trivia 20:00 - 20:30 | SSBU Tourney20:00 - 24:00 | Team Helping Teams 20:00 - 21:00 | |
| Hacking | ||||
| 21:00 - 22:00 | Bob Ross Paint Night 21:00 - 21:30 | Hacking | ||
| Hacking | Team Helping Teams 21:30 - 22:30 | |||
| 22:00 - 23:00 | Team Helping Teams 22:00 - 23:00 | |||
| Movie Night22:00 - 24:00 | ||||
| 23:00 - 24:00 | Hacking |
Pre-natHACKS Sub-Events
natHACKS is so much more than just a weekend! Be sure to get involved
with events we host leading up to natHACKS to learn more, network,
and start the brainstorming for your project!
The two weeks leading up to the hackathon will also feature 1-2 workshop(s)
every weekday, find them in their very own "Workshops" tab.
During-natHACKS Sub-Events
During the hackathon weekend there are several notable events for which
you should RSVP for seperately!
You can find all these event listed in the Schedule Tab!
Pre-hack workshops
| Date | Workshop | Suggested Attendees | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous - 1 Hour | Python I | Beginner Hackers | TBD |
| Asynchronous - 1 Hour | Python II | Beginner Hackers | TBD |
| Asynchronous - 2 Hours | Python III | All Hackers (using python) | TBD |
| Asynchronous - 2 Hours | Python IV | All Hackers (using python) | TBD |
| Asynchronous - 1 Hour | Connecting Hardware | Everyone using commercial hardware | TBD |
| TBD | Neurotech Fundamentals | All Hackers | TBD |
| TBD | Software Project Management | Everyone, especially team leads | TBD |
| TBD | Browser-Based BCIs: The Basics | All Hackers using Brains@Play boilerplate | TBD |
| TBD | Browser-Based BCIs: Publishing a Simple Neurofeedback App | All Hackers using Brains@Play boilerplate | TBD |
| TBD | Python ML | All Hackers using Python | TBD |
| TBD | PyQt5 Boiler Intro I | All Hackers using Python | TBD |
| TBD | Hands-on BioAmp hardware design and biopotential signals processing for HCI & BCI applications | All Hackers using Upside Down Labs equipment | TBD |
| TBD | PyQt5 Boiler Intro II | All Hackers using Python | TBD |
| TBD | Introduction to JupyterHub on the ISAIC GPU Cloud | All Hackers using cloud computing (Presented by ISAIC) | TBD |
| TBD | Introduction to the Rapid Access Cloud | All Hackers using cloud computing (Presented by Cybera) | TBD |
| TBD | Unity Boiler Intro | All Hackers using Unity boilerplate | TBD |
| TBD | Circuit Design Fundamentals | All Hackers using Arduino/Pi | TBD |
| TBD | Hackathon 101 | All Hackers | TBD |
During-Hackathon Workshops
| Date | Workshop | Suggested Attendees | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Presenters will be released soon!
Tracks loosely define the scope of neurotech projects at
natHACKS
All teams will have the chance to participate in a Track of
their choice, with three Senior Tracks related to cutting-edge
BCI topics, and a Junior Track for those new to the neurotech
world. Project ideas and challenges for each Track will be
provided closer to the event.
We are in the process of finalizing this year's team!
No one really likes reading lots of rules, so let's hit the
most important things here:
1. We are only able to ship hardware to the US and Canada
(excluding for Quebec).
2. At least 50% of team member must reside in Alberta to be
eligible for project seed funding awards.
3. If participating in person, you consent to photo and video
capture during the event for future promotional purposes.
If you're interested in reading the rest of the rules, visit this document!
Interested in helping further our goals of demystifying neurotechnology and fostering future innovators? Your partnership makes this whole event possible and helps us push the bleeding edge of neurotech. Please contact us if you would be interested in recieving a copy of our sponsorship document and learning more about the long list of benefits we offer.
