Three contestants. Three judges. Two competition rounds. One champion.
Welcome to Circuit Showdown, where up-and-coming engineers battle in a unique design competition.
Our industry is driven by innovation, and that innovation depends on the next generation of engineers. Circuit Showdown brings electrical and mechanical engineering students from various universities together to compete head-to-head in a first-of-its-kind design standoff. In just four hours, contestants must build a themed project from scratch using pre-determined hardware, components, and test equipment provided on-site.
Powered by Mouser Electronics and hosted by eeDesignIt, Circuit Showdown isn't just a design competition; it's a place where pressure meets creativity as aspiring engineers seize the opportunity to display their engineering prowess in front of industry experts while showcasing their technical skillsets.
Each contestant brings an impressive background and motivation to the competition. Let’s meet them.
Their goal? To emerge as the Circuit Showdown champion. With $40,000 in cash and equipment prizes on the line for the contestants and their universities, the tension is building.
When they're in the heat of the competition, they're not alone. Their Chief Mentor, Raymond Yin, Mouser's technical content director, provides guidance and advice, helping them navigate their challenges. As Raymond reflects on the contestants’ progress, he recognizes the impressive creativity displayed under intense conditions. Contestants have access to components from brands like Arduino, Molex, Renesas, and Vishay, along with state-of-the-art test equipment from Keysight.
The judges, including experts from Molex, FIRST Robotics, and Arduino, will evaluate each design based on functionality, adherence to the theme, resourcefulness, and originality.
Meet the judges:
Each judge brings a different perspective to the competition, from fostering innovation in robotics to driving advancements in connected technologies. They're very clear about what they're looking for, and it's not just projects that work—they're looking for designs that push boundaries and showcase creativity in problem-solving.
Hosted by Bryan DeLuca and Nicolette Emmino from eeDesignIt, the show kicks off with the first challenge theme: Smart Home.
The clock starts ticking, and the contestants dive into their projects. Charles, Renee, and Michael need to make quick decisions, select components from the Mouser pop-up warehouse, and adapt on the fly when things don't go as planned.
And things certainly do not go as planned on the first day of competition …
The contestants faced unexpected technical hurdles, from smoked boards to sensor issues and library mishaps.
With some tips from their Chief Mentor, each contestant modified their original path and presented final projects to the judges.
Tune in to episodes 1 and 2 of Circuit Showdown to meet the contestants and witness the drama unfold as plans go awry. Which contestant will advance? Who will stumble? And who will ultimately claim the title of Circuit Showdown champion? The journey is just beginning.
Mouser Electronics, founded in 1964, is a globally authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components for over 1,200 industry-leading manufacturer brands. This year marks the company's 60th anniversary. We specialize in the rapid introduction of the newest products and technologies targeting the design engineer and buyer communities. Mouser has 28 offices located around the globe. We conduct business in 23 different languages and 34 currencies. Our global distribution center is equipped with state-of-the-art wireless warehouse management systems that enable us to process orders 24/7, and deliver nearly perfect pick-and-ship operations.