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A team of three May 2021 ŷ���ڱ���Ƶ Boulder College of Engineering graduates took second place at Pinnacle hackathon in Dallas, which ran September 17-19. Known as "The Olympics of Hackathons," the 36-hour, invitation-only competition pits the top-place finishers from 50 of the world’s largest collegiate hackathons against each other.

All three team members graduated in May 2021: Mason C. Moran (center) and Colin Soguero (left), both earned degrees in creative technology and design from the ATLAS Institute, while Colin's brother, Luke (right) earned a bachelor's in computer science. Along with the prestige of ranking second in one of the country's most competitive hackathons, the team brought home $2,000.

Their project, ARmory, is an augmented reality (AR) game that incorporates a wireless, alternative 3D-printed controller* designed by the team. Players defend themselves against assailants that can approach from all sides. Depending on how it is held, the controller switches between three modes—a sword for hand-to-hand combat, a crossbow and a shield. Sensors in the controller linked to the Arduino connect to the AR headset via a wireless network. As players change their grip, the corresponding weapon is displayed in their field of vision. 

Moran, who returned to the ATLAS Institute this fall to begin work on a master's degree, said the team was delighted by how well they placed. “We all believed in our project, but it never registered that it was second-place quality work,” Moran said. “When second place was announced, it was like living in a haze.” 

The three previously participated in a series of hackathons. In March they won the university’s annual 24-hour invention marathon, Hackŷ���ڱ���Ƶ, with their project, ChessLens, an augmented reality application that helps chess players improve their game. The ChessLens team, which beat 23 other groups, won Nintendo Switch Lites and an all-expenses-paid trip to Pinnacle.

Moran said the team chose the ARmory project because it drew on their respective strengths: Moran's 3D design, fabrication and hardware skills; Colin Soguero's familiarity with programming for augmented reality; and Luke's networking and data processing prowess. Reflecting on his own undergraduate experience, Moran said “The CTD program's blend of tech and creative skills, including AR/VR opportunities, provides ideal skills for hackathons, creative problem solving and design challenges.” 

Now an AR developer with the Future of Work Collaboratory, Colin Soguero was a member of the ATLAS Institute's ACME Lab as an undergraduate, serving as a research assistant in the AR Drum Circle project. Partly in recognition of these contributions, he was named one of ATLAS’ 2021 Distinguished Undergraduates. Luke Soguero is now a software developer with Oracle.

The three have no plans to continue working together on the project as they go in different directions, although Moran admits “anything is possible.”  

“It was a wild ride,” said Moran. “Winning Hackŷ���ڱ���Ƶ was a huge achievement for us, and our placement in Pinnacle further highlights our potential together.”  

*The team's controller incorporates an Arduino Nano 33 IoT and a Magic Leap AR Headset. Additional technical details of the project may be viewed on .

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