Bosch Rexroth Challenges Automation Programmers to Develop ctrlX CORE Apps in New Contest

Summary

Bosch Rexroth has launched the ctrlX developR Challenge contest to invite the creation of innovative new applications and programs that take advantage of the advanced capabilities of the company’s ctrlX CORE automation control system.

The international idea and developer competition is open to all participants who register by December 31, 2021, and whose application is accepted by the competition’s judges. In the application, applicants are asked to provide personal details as well as a short description of their concept and which of the five contest conceptual categories their proposed project fits into:

• Simplify engineering: new ideas to connect complex processes, systems and applications and make them quicker, simpler and easier to operate;
• Extend and connect: ways to build on the existing ctrlX AUTOMATION infrastructure in the cleverest, most creative and most useful way;
• Smarten up automation: AI-type applications or solutions that teach systems to think, work and play independently and without supervision;
• Empower the user: innovative concepts covering applications ranging from human-computer interaction and mobile automation and robotics to projects with a positive influence on society and our planet;
• Create your own: break the mold and creatively journey outside the box with ideas for a completely new application that go beyond the given categories.

“This contest is more than a hackathon,” said Dave Cameron, director of sales for automation and electrification at Bosch Rexroth Corp. “It is the perfect opportunity to bring together the biggest, most diverse array of talents with the most versatile, open and powerful system available on the market. Our common goal: to create innovative ideas that evolve into solutions and solutions into projects.”

Applications will be evaluated in January 2022 and contest participants will be selected by February. The participants will receive a complete developR Challenge Kit, which includes the latest version of Rexroth’s ctrlX CORE controller hardware and software, as well as additional application authoring software. 

Contest participants will also be provided with special Bosch Rexroth mentors to help answer questions and provide specific, project-related suggestions on ways to fulfill their conceptual ideas, as well as support from other members of the ctrlX World automation community. 

During the entire challenge, there will be continuous communication between the participants and Bosch Rexroth via social media. The development and implementation phase runs through April 30, 2022, after which the contest finalists will be selected to participate in a special online “pitch event” to an industry jury, who will select the competition’s winners. 

Applications must be completed by Dec. 31, 2021, to be eligible and applicants need to meet all conditions of participation to become contestants. For more information on the Bosch Rexroth ctrlX developR Challenge and to apply, visit the website.

Register today!

About Bosch Rexroth

As one of the world’s leading suppliers of drive and control technologies, Bosch Rexroth ensures efficient, powerful and safe movement in machines and systems of any size. The company bundles global application experience in the market segments of Mobile Applications, Machinery Applications and Engineering, and Factory Automation. With its intelligent components, customized system solutions and services, Bosch Rexroth is creating the necessary environment for fully connected applications. Bosch Rexroth offers its customers hydraulics, electric drive and control technology, gear technology and linear motion and assembly technology, including software and interfaces to the Internet of Things. With locations in over 80 countries, more than 29,600 associates generated sales revenue of around 5.2 billion euros ($6.3 billion) in 2020. 

About Bosch

Having established a regional presence in 1906 in North America, the Bosch Group employs 34,700 associates in more than 100 locations, as of December 31, 2020. According to preliminary figures, Bosch generated consolidated sales of $13.1 billion in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.