Signal Quest – IEEE SPS Hackathon 2026

challenges undergraduate and postgraduate students from all engineering branches to identify a real-world problem and develop an innovative technology-based solution within a single day. With a total prize pool of ₹14,000, the hackathon offers participants the chance to collaborate, build practical solutions, showcase their technical skills, and interact with experts in the field. Who Should Apply The hackathon is open to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students from any engineering branch or specialization. Participants may register individually or as part of a team of up to four members. Inter-college and inter-branch teams are explicitly allowed, making it an excellent opportunity for students from different institutions to collaborate. Challenge Tracks Teams can choose to work on a solution under any one of the following tracks: Speech & Audio AI, Computer Vision, Biomedical Signals, AI & Machine Learning, Wireless & IoT, Sustainable Technologies, Open Innovation, and Embedded Systems. Each team must align its problem statement with one of these tracks, ensuring a focused and relevant approach. Format & Timeline The hackathon runs from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on 26 September 2026 at CMR Institute of Technology, Bengaluru. Teams will have the full 10-hour duration to develop and present their solution. Projects are evaluated by a judging panel based on innovation and originality, problem relevance, technical implementation, feasibility, practical impact, quality of the prototype/demo, and the clarity of the presentation. Prizes The total prize pool is ₹14,000, distributed among the winning teams. In addition to cash prizes, participants gain hands-on experience, networking opportunities, and exposure to industry experts. Eligibility Open to all UG and PG engineering students. Teams can have 1 to 4 members, and inter-college and inter-branch teams are permitted. Each participant must register with correct details on the Unstop form and can be part of only one team. All solutions must be original work; plagiarism or misrepresentation leads to disqualification. About the Organiser CMR Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, is a well-known engineering college in Karnataka, affiliated with Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). The IEEE SPS student chapter at CMRIT actively organises technical events, workshops, and competitions to foster innovation and skill development among students. This hackathon is part of their ongoing efforts to encourage practical learning and problem-solving in signal processing and related domains. How to Apply Registration closes on 20 September 2026. Interested participants must register through the official registration link: https://signal-quest-drab.vercel.app/. Ensure all details are accurate, as the registration form on Unstop is used for verification.