Hackathons to Accelerate the Development of Low-Cost Digital Solutions

Abstract

Digital developments undertaken as part of the academic research projects can be slow to be trialed and adopted industrially. These delays may be the result of lack of suitable early prototypes or insufficient industrial workforce engagement among other challenges. Here, these challenges are considered in the context of a research project that develops procedures for the deployment of simple, low-cost digital solutions by small manufacturers. This paper proposes a methodology that comprises the use of hackathons, laboratory demonstrators, and industrial pilot activities as a means of accelerating the use of solutions developed. In particular, it introduces hackathons as a means to quickly create cost-efficient digital solutions for manufacturing and argues how, in addition to speeding adoption, these could be seen as additional option to help prepare the future workforce. © 2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Keywords

Author Keywords

digital shoestring hackathons low-cost digital solutions manufacturing SMEs

Index Keywords

Academic research Personnel Costs Simple++ Shoe manufacture Cost-efficient Digital shoestring Digital solutions Hackathons Low-cost digital solution Low-costs Manufacturing SME

Author Affiliations

Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom

Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

Funding & Acknowledgements

Grant: CCF18-7157

This work was supported by the Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund under Grant CCF18-7157 - Promoting the Internet of Things via Collaboration between HEIs and Industry (Pitch-In).

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Hackathons to Accelerate the Development of Low-Cost Digital Solutions

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