Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Mod the Future Visits the Big Apple: Behind the Scenes at the NYC Hackathon

15/06/2017

What do 53 developers, 18 entrepreneurs, three designers, one surgeon and a dog named Goose have in common? These eager participants (and K9) all gathered this past weekend for over 24 hours at the first Mod the Future Hackathon in New York City in a quest to create a winning Moto Mod concept for the Moto Z.

The outcome was the creation of some truly amazing new Moto Mods concepts. We saw initial ideas for a video paging Mod, a Smart Cart' retail shopping Mod and an emergency situation response Mod for consumers. We also heard about an insulin level monitoring concept and a water pollution testing Mod. Encouraging participants' individuality to shine, these concepts speak to the core principles of Moto Mods -- continued innovation and unlimited possibilities for consumers. This is the future of mobile in an increasingly stagnant industry.

With teams and participants representing five different countries -- from the U.S. and Canada to Brazil, Latvia and Mexico -- the ideas presented at the hackathon were as unique and diverse as the participants themselves.

It's really exciting to think that I can take a piece of hardware, put it on my device, swap it out for something else and I don't need an app to do it, said participant and second place winner Aaron Franco.

24 Hours of Hacking

All of the wires, soldering irons and microscopes aside, hacking isn't always so simple, especially when the sky truly is the limit.

The room was electric, yet calm and focused all at the same time. Energy drink cans covered tables and participants took quick power naps whenever they could, as teams of beginners and seasoned veterans alike worked to overcome challenges.

At the end of it all, 96 slices of pizza, 96 bagels and 128 energy drinks were consumed. More than 2,400 total man hours were put in, with 17 projects submitted by the deadline from participants ranging in age from 16 to 78. And after 45 minutes of judging, the top three Moto Mods concepts were announced.

Meet the Three Winning Concepts

Advanced Audio -- Curtis Mason, Andrew Afflitto, Mark Ayad, Abigail Brown and Yousef Alsayid

Using the USB MDK connection, Modio interfaces with a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to provide audio input and output to the smartphone. This concept is hugely beneficial to musicians and audiophiles, giving the Moto Z HiDef audio ports (such as those found in recording studios and expensive speaker systems) that can transmit audio to applicable headphones/speakers in a much higher way than the standard headphone jack.

This is crazy. I didn't really expect this, but I know we all put in our maximum effort and it came together, said Andrew Afflitto when they were announced as the winners.

Sidepad -- Gabriel Ortiz and Aaron Franco

While playing games on smartphones is fun, the best gamepads are ones that are bigger than the mobile device and provide a more immersive experience. As a full-featured gamepad concept, Sidepad seeks to provide this enhanced experience for true gamers by adding gaming controls on the Moto Z (buttons versus touchscreen). According to Aaron Franco, it was totally worth staying up all night.

Bella -- Ally Cheung, Nancy Wan and Sylvee Lee

Bella is a skin care companion for your pocket that provides personal beauty and skincare tips. This concept allows Moto Z to collect real-time data from your skin and surrounding environment using built in sensors that examine factors such as UV levels, air quality, and if aimed at your face, skin elasticity levels.

As modern women, we think it's useful to be able to monitor our skin and stay youthful. It was such an amazing experience, said Ally Cheung and Nancy Wan after learning they were in the winners circle.

Next Stop: San Francisco

This is only the beginning -- our next hackathon will be in San Francisco on January 21-22. The Grand Prize Winners of both the New York and San Francisco hackathons will receive a team cash prize of $5,000 and a Moto Z and Moto Mods Development Kit per team member. A representative from the winning team will also be invited to Chicago to present their ideas to a panel of Motorola leaders at Motorola's headquarters and discuss how to bring their idea to market. If the concept impresses Lenovo Capital, they could even receive investment funding. Additionally, winning teams will be entered into the Moto Mods Partner program and be connected with a dedicated Business Development Mentor. Anyone who creates Moto Mod concepts during a hackathon will have the opportunity to participate in the Indiegogo campaign, as well.

For more information or to register for the Mod the Future Hackathon in San Francisco, visit modthefuture.com.
LINK: http://motorola-blog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/mod-future-visits-big-appl...
See more stories from motorola

Most recent headlines

12/03/2025

Jeff Lilly Named WGN-TV Director Of Technology

CHICAGO Jeff Lilly has been named WGN-TV director of technology effective March 17, 2025, according to Ric Harris, WGN-TV vice president and general manager....

12/03/2025

Survey: Consumers Want More Shoppable TV Experiences

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. A new study from LG Ad Solutions indicates that consumers want more features that would allow them to shop for products on the connected T...

12/03/2025

IP Showcase To Focus On IP, Broadcast Tech Convergence at 2025 NAB Show

BOTHELL, Wash. The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) and the Video Services Forum (VSF) will once again present...

12/03/2025

Comcast Boosts Internet Speeds for More Than 20 Million Customers

PHILADELPHIA Comcast announced that it has upgraded Xfinity Internet speeds for more than 20 million customers for no additional cost....

12/03/2025

Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14

Create with Maxon: Cinema 4D Fundamentals Workshop - March 12-14 Brie Clayton March 11, 2025 0 Comments Makin' Waffles with Elly Wade During Marc...

11/03/2025

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Amel Guellaty, the Writer-Director of Where the Wind Comes From

By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...

11/03/2025

Salsa's Rhythmic Revival: A New Generation Discovers the Genre's Timeless Appeal

Salsa is making a comeback, captivating new listeners with its infectious energy...

11/03/2025

Canada's Own Rupi Kaur Curates the Latest Edition of Local Spot, Revealing the Songs and Artists That Shaped Her

For many people, music can serve as a reflection of their roots and upbringing. ...

11/03/2025

ST Engineering iDirect's Public Safety Solution Wins MSUA Satellite Mobile Innovation Award 2025

The solution delivers reliable, scalable and secure connectivity for critical pu...

11/03/2025

Weigel Broadcasting Taps Harmonic for Cloud-Based Playout-to-Delivery

SAN JOSE, Calif. Harmonic has announced that Weigel Broadcasting has deployed Harmonics VOS Media Software, which offers playout-to-delivery capabilities, inclu...

11/03/2025

Wheatstone To Unveil Linux Audio Driver At 2025 NAB Show

NEW BERN, N.C. Wheatstone will introduce a Linux audio driver for its WheatNet IP audio network during the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, at the Las Vegas Convention...

11/03/2025

Study: Women's Sports Are a Big Win for Advertisers

NEW YORK A new study finds that as TV viewership for women's sports surged by 131% in 2024, the programming also saw a 56% year-over-year increase in ad im...

11/03/2025

Al Sharqiya prepares for Ultra HD with FOR-A

Powerful switcher for news studio FOR-A, a cutting-edge video broadcast technology company backed by more than 50 years experience, has installed its HVS-1200 ...

11/03/2025

Intinor Unveils Advancements in Video Quality and Workflo...

Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of high-quality video over the internet, is unveiling significant advancements to its Direkt series at NAB 2025. With a ...

11/03/2025

Glensound extends yet further its market-leading communic...

Glensound, a leader in high-quality audio systems, is bringing yet more innovation to NAB Show 2025 (Booth N2270, Las Vegas Convention Center, 6-9 April). Well-...

11/03/2025

Anaconda Street Productions Uses Laser Projectors for Cos...

Whittier, Calif.-based Anaconda Street Productions (ASP) is a leading film and television production company known for creating captivating content that resonat...

11/03/2025

DNAV and Sierra Automated Systems Introduce Intelligent R...

DNAV, a full-service systems integrator, consultant, and manufacturer's representative of leading broadcast, AV, lighting, and display equipment, announces ...

11/03/2025

MNC Software appoints Darren Frearson as CEO

MNC Software Inc., a global leader in network solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Darren Frearson as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective...

11/03/2025

Polar Graphics announces a new product line powered by Xe...

Polar Graphics, a UK leading distributor for the broadcast, post and pro-AV industries, has signed a licensing agreement with XenData to include its XenData Arc...

11/03/2025

Chyron PAINT 9.9 Delivers Sharper Visuals and Smoother Workflows for Sports Telestration

Chyron PAINT 9.9 Delivers Sharper Visuals and Smoother Workflows for Sports Tele...

11/03/2025

Alice in Wonderlight Filmed with URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF

Alice in Wonderlight Filmed with URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF Brie Clayton March 11, 2025 0 Comments Play captured in 8K60p as part of national initiative t...

11/03/2025

Twisting in the Wind - An Apple Motion Tutorial

Twisting in the Wind - An Apple Motion Tutorial Simon Ubsdell March 11, 2025 0 Comments Another very simple text-based project that uses an unusual co...

11/03/2025

The secret to looking inside a Project in Premiere Pro

The secret to looking inside a Project in Premiere Pro Colin Smith March 11, 2025 0 Comments This tutorial demonstrates the incredible capabilities of...

11/03/2025

New Book Explores How the Quiet Storm Shaped Modern R&B

New Book Explores How the Quiet Storm Shaped Modern R&B In The Quiet Storm, Berklee Online alumnus Amani Roberts explores how the radio format defined America...

11/03/2025

Slapshot app makes AI-powered VFX accessible to all

Slapshot aims to make VFX available for a range of users including independent editors, colourists, content creators and established visual effects companies B...

11/03/2025

Estonian campus to be first modern film complex in the Baltics'

Aiming to attract international film production, the 16 million complex is scheduled to open next year By Matthew Corrigan Published: March 11, 2025 Aimi...

11/03/2025

Meet the support and projects manager

Kamil Pietrzyk, support and projects manager at CueScript, tells TVBEurope how an interest in electronics and IT prompted a career in the broadcast industry By...

11/03/2025

Underwater DoP Ian Seabrook Lights Last Breath with Aster...

Underwater DoP Ian Seabrook on Last Breath Credit: Jon Borg / 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC Canadian/British Director of Photography, Ian Seabrook is one of the ...

11/03/2025

Los Angeles iconic Sound Factory installs custom mains wi...

Originally opened in the early 1960s as Moonglow Records, The Sound Factory name was coined by Producer David Hassinger, who purchased the studio in 1969. A lit...

11/03/2025

BCNEXXT Celebrates 10 Years of Innovation as Customers Co...

BCNEXXT, a trailblazer in virtualized, cloud-native systems for Linear, VoD, and OTT publishing, proudly marks a decade of redefining broadcast playout. This mi...

11/03/2025

Experience Commerce of Cheil India Wins Social and Media...

Experience Commerce, an integrated marketing agency within the Cheil Network, has been appointed as the official digital partner for Parle Candy Culture, reinfo...

11/03/2025

Survey: More Viewers Turn to Streaming for Sports

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. A new survey highlights how far major streaming platforms have come in terms of offering sports, with findings that show the number of people ...

11/03/2025

Tegna Names John Trevio President and GM at WKYC in Cleveland

TYSONS, Va. Tegna Inc. has announced today that John Trevi o has been named president and general manager at WKYC, the NBC affiliate serving Cleveland, Ohio, ef...

11/03/2025

Canela Media Selects Brightcove to Power Streaming Service

BOSTON Brightcove has announced that Canela Media is using Brightcove's technologies to power its streaming operations....

11/03/2025

Chunghwa Telecom Taps Broadpeak for Dynamic Ad Insertion

CESSON-SEVIGNE, France Chunghwa Telecom, the leading telecommunications operator in Taiwan, has selected Broadpeak to provide solutions for its streaming servic...

11/03/2025

Leader sets US debut of LPX500 Waveform Monitor for NAB 2025

Leader sets US debut of LPX500 Waveform Monitor for NAB 2025 Brie Clayton March 10, 2025 0 Comments Test & measurement innovator, Leader Instruments C...

11/03/2025

The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Presents the Grand Gathering

The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice Presents the Grand Gathering The Signature Series concert will feature performances by all nine of the instit...

11/03/2025

Space42 and Viasat Announce Partnership to Explore Shared Global 5G Non-Terrestrial Network Initiative

Abu Dhabi, UAE and Carlsbad, California 12 March 2025 Space42, (ADX: SPACE42...

11/03/2025

Tribeca Enterprises, SIC, and the Lisbon City Council Announce Second Annual Tribeca Festival Lisboa October 30-November 1

March 11th, 2025 Tribeca Enterprises, SIC, and the Lisbon City Council Announce...

11/03/2025

Drones, Flycam To Highlight 60+-Camera Coverage of THE PLAYERS This Weekend

Drones, Flycam To Highlight 60+-Camera Coverage of THE PLAYERS This Weekend 60+ cameras, NEP's PGA TOUR fleet, 25 talent will be deployed at TPC Sawgrass B...

11/03/2025

The Art of 9:16: How Corporate Content Producers Have Embraced Vertical Video

The Art of 9:16: How Corporate Content Producers Have Embraced Vertical Video Leaders from the corporate space share their advice and success stories By SVG St...

11/03/2025

SVG Rewind: NFL's Tim Tubito on Elevating Gameday Activations of Super Bowl LIX With New Multi-Use Stage

SVG Rewind: NFL's Tim Tubito on Elevating Gameday Activations of Super Bowl ...

11/03/2025

New Sponsor Spotlight: Ventuz's David Paniego on the Increasing Synergy Between Broadcast Graphics and In-Venue Displays

New Sponsor Spotlight: Ventuz's David Paniego on the Increasing Synergy Betw...

11/03/2025

Best Snow Day Ever: NESN, Bruins Roll Out NHL's Latest Animated Data-Visualization Altcast With a STEM Twist

Best Snow Day Ever: NESN, Bruins Roll Out NHL's Latest Animated Data-Visuali...

11/03/2025

Trailer revealed for Sky Exclusive comedy series Hacks season 4, coming to screens 11 April

To view this content, please enable our use of cookies. To do so, click Privacy ...

11/03/2025

Netflix Reveals Official Trailer for 'The Lady's Companion'

Back to All News Netflix Reveals Official Trailer for The Ladys CompanionPlay Video Play Video Entertainment 11 March 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clip...

11/03/2025

Geeta Gandbhir's 'The Perfect Neighbor' to Release on Netflix in 2025

Back to All News Geeta Gandbhir's The Perfect Neighbor to Release on Netfli...

11/03/2025

The ROI of AI: New research on how AI is transforming B2B...

The ROI of AI: New research on how AI is transforming B2B sales Published on Mar 11, 2025 Categories: Research, Data and insights LinkedIn Corporate Commun...

11/03/2025

Weigel Broadcasting Embraces Cloud-Based Playout-to-Delivery Solution from Harmonic

SAN JOSE, Calif. - March 11, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that...

11/03/2025

Al Sharqiya prepares for Ultra HD with FOR-A

Powerful new switcher for news studio...