Circuit Showdown: a design battle like no other

In this thrilling competition, electrical and mechanical engineering students from top universities compete head-to-head, building innovative projects under extreme time pressure. In just four hours, the contestants must create a themed design using pre-determined hardware, components, and test equipment provided on-site. With a grand prize of $40,000 in cash and equipment for themselves and their universities, the stakes could not be higher.

Circuit Showdown features three remarkable contestants:

Renee Wrysinski (Rice University), whose passion for problem-solving stems from a desire to improve the lives of disabled individuals: “What inspired me to pursue a career in engineering is I really wanted to work on solutions that help improve the lives of disabled people. And since then, I’ve kind of just fallen in love with the problem-solving.”

Charles Morales (Texas State University), whose love for physics sparked his journey into engineering: “I was always interested in physics… I didn’t just want to know the answers. I also wanted to understand. Okay, what can I do with this? And that’s what engineering does – takes it from beyond just why and how things work to what you can do with it.”

Michael Vidales (Prairie View A&M University), who applies engineering principles in everyday life: “I like to use engineering in my everyday life. A lot of the principles that we use can be applicable to all situations. I mean, you use a lot of your critical thinking skills to kind of map out problems, figure out new solutions, research, and think outside the box, and that’s one of the reasons I love engineering.”

Guiding them throughout the competition is Raymond Yin, Mouser’s Technical Content Director, who serves as Chief Mentor. Raymond has been impressed by the contestants’ ability to think on their feet, overcome challenges, and unleash their creativity under pressure.

The contestants have access to cutting-edge components from brands such as Arduino, Molex, Renesas, and Vishay, as well as advanced testing equipment from Keysight. As they work on their projects, they must also impress a panel of expert judges from Molex, FIRST Robotics, and Arduino.

The judges include:

• Kirk Ulery, Distribution Business Development Manager, Molex
• Chris Moore, CEO, FIRST Robotics
• Massimo Banzi, Co-Founder, Arduino

These industry experts will evaluate the contestants based on functionality, creativity, and how resourceful they are under pressure. The competition kicks off with a challenging theme: Smart Home. The contestants face unexpected hurdles, from faulty boards to sensor malfunctions, but with determination and guidance, they push through to present their final designs to the judges.

Hosted by Bryan DeLuca and Nicolette Emmino from eeDesignIt, tune in to Circuit Showdown to watch the journey unfold and find out which contestant will ultimately claim the title of Circuit Showdown champion.

Episode 1: Meet the Contestants & Judges

In this episode, you be will be introduced to the panel of expert judges. The judges will guide, critique, and determine who will emerge victorious in this electrifying contest. Watch as the challengers receive their first design challenge and get ready for an engineering showdown like no other!

Presented by Mouser Electronics and eeDesignIt. Sponsored by Arduino, Renesas, Molex, Keysight, and Vishay.

Episode 2: The First Challenge

The pressure is on! In the second episode of Circuit Showdown, the three talented engineering students begin their first design challenge, pushing their skills to the limit. Watch as they work tirelessly to complete their themed project builds and prepare to present their designs to the esteemed judges.

The competition heats up as the judges critique the designs and make the tough decision of who will move on to the next stage of the competition. Who will rise to the occasion and who will be eliminated?

Presented by Mouser Electronics and eeDesignIt. Sponsored by Arduino, Renesas, Molex, Keysight, and Vishay.

Episode 3: Engineering with a Twist

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The engineering contestants have made it to the final round of Circuit Showdown, and they’re ready for their biggest challenge yet!

In this episode, they’re tasked with creating their most innovative designs, but just as things seem to be going smoothly, they're presented with an unexpected twist – something every electronic engineer dreads: a last-minute design change.

The pressure builds as time ticks down and the stakes rise higher than ever. What will this surprise mean for the competitors? Stay tuned as the challenge unfolds and the competition takes an unexpected turn!

Presented by Mouser Electronics and eeDesignIt. Sponsored by Arduino, Renesas, Molex, Keysight, and Vishay.

Episode 4: And the Winner Is...

The moment of truth has arrived! In this thrilling final episode of Circuit Showdown, the brilliant contestants – Charles, Renee, and Michael – must incorporate the surprise twist from the previous round into their designs and race against the clock to deliver a working prototype. With time running out and the pressure at an all-time high, they’ll need to pull out all the stops to impress the judges: Massimo Banzi, Chris Moore, and Kirk Ulery.

Who will rise to the challenge, and who will claim the $10,000 grand prize? Tune in to witness the ultimate design contest and see who will emerge victorious in this epic finale!

Presented by Mouser Electronics and eeDesignIt. Sponsored by Arduino, Renesas, Molex, Keysight, and Vishay.