<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I’m emailing a bunch of Hackerspaces and Academics to see if there was a chance of getting this message posted to your membership. We’re starting a contest based on the chipKIT Platform with prizes to outfit a lab at either a school or hackerspace. So your lab could be eligible for up to $5500 in Development tools if they post a winning entry. Here’s some details if you’re ok posting. If you or any of your membership have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>“Microchip Technology and Digilent Inc. are pleased to announce the chipKIT™ Design Contest open to all students, hacker spaces and hobbyists in the United States and Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>A chipKIT Starter Pak valued at over $225 USD will be sent to the first 100 qualifying academic institutions and established hacker spaces. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>To qualify please complete the chipKIT Design Contest Participant Survey here: <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FREEchipKITStarterPaks"><span style='color:blue'>http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FREEchipKITStarterPaks</span></a> by September 10, 2012. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The Contest will be a three-tiered competition as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Level 1 Challenge ($2000 in prizes): <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Develop an original application using a chipKIT Platform, existing, known working shield and, existing, known working libraries.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Level 2 Challenge ($3000 in prizes): <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Develop an original application using a chipKIT Platform and existing shield where associated libraries are modified to exploit specific features of the chipKIT Platform's PIC32 device and associated peripherals. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Level 3 Challenge ($5500 in prizes): <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Develop an original shield along with associated libraries and supporting documentation (tutorials, examples and user's guide) that will highlight the additional functionality of the PIC32 devices populating the chipKIT Platform.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>View a complete description of contest rules and regulations at <a href="http://www.microchip.com/chipkitDesignChallenge"><span style='color:blue'>www.microchip.com/chipkitDesignChallenge</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>“<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Regards,</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Marc McComb<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Senior Global Academic Program Sales Engineer <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>2355 West Chandler Blvd., Mailstop 1-E</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Chandler , AZ 85224-6199</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>office: 480-792-4391</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>mobile: 480-478-5676</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Need more information on Microchip's Academic Program or would like to become a Partner? Visit </span><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.microchip.com/academic"><b><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#632423'>www.microchip.com/academic</span></i></b></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> for more information.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>