The first hackathon this year and the third one in total, defence and technology development camp DELTA1 will take place at Juozas Vitkus Engineer Battalion of the Lithuanian Armed Forces in Kaunas. Scientists, inventors, fans of the military and experts of numerous areas will be developing innovative solutions for defence and the Armed Forces of Lithuania through the weekend on April 3–5. Monetary prizes will be awarded for the best creations. This year the focus is on military engineering, cybersecurity, communication and IT solutions.
“Militaries in the whole world face challenges when developing innovations. It is wonderful that Lithuania intends to align with those nations that focus on developing cutting-edge defence technology. This and similar events is a great stimulus for cooperation with the academia, students, business, for the same goal ¬ a stronger defence sector,” Head of the Research and Technology Division of the Defence Materiel Agency under the Ministry of National Defence and one of the Hackathon organisers Laurynas Mockaitis says.
L. Mockaitis underscores that the ideas generated, contacts made, and immediate cooperation of the military, business, and science during the hackathon can grow in the future into successful projects and products, applicable not only in the military but also in civilian life.
“The DELTA 1 Hackathon is an excellent initiative that gets experts of different areas around the table. It is a huge honour for Kaunas University of Technology to contribute to modernisation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces – bring in researchers, students, and share experience. Practice shows that partnering with trade allows producing a prototype suitable for trials within minimal time – that is very important in introducing innovations in practice,” one of the Kaunas University of Technology representatives rendering practical support in co-organisation the hackathons with the Lithuanian Armed Forces for the second consecutive year, Head of the National Innovations and Trade Centre Mindaugas Bulota says.
This hackathon will focus on military engineering subject-matter and challenges. “Lithuanian Armed Forces engineers and other troops don’t seem to have much difference at first sight – they have the same gear and weaponry, however, aside from the general equipment, engineers also use specialised engineer vehicles and complex equipment, therefore their complex challenges are a bit different across a range of tasks,” Commander of Juozas Vitkus Engineer Battalion Maj Pavelas Jelkinas says. He also underscores that innovative technological solutions are more than needed in the area and says he hopes that hackathon participants will be able to offer some.
Not only engineers but also cybersecurity experts and specialists of defence technologies are invited to look for innovative solutions together at the hackathon.
The DELTA 1 defence technology camp will take up three days. On Day 1 the participants will be invited to familiarise with the Lithuanian Armed Forces and soldiers’ routine. Day 2 will be dedicated for intense innovation development and consultations with hackathon mentors – scientists, engineers, military experts, and defence experts – on product development and technical completion. On Day 3 the participants will present their concepts and product prototypes to the commission of experts for selecting the best ones that deserve further development.
It is an open event and organisers are inviting anyone to register at www.delta1.lt to participate in the event. You will find information on the hackathon challenges and will be able to offer your own ideas here too.
The confirmed participants will be informed via e-mail. The products developed at the hackathon will be evaluated by a commission of representatives of the Ministry of National Defence, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Kaunas University of Technology, and partners.
The hackathon is organized by the Ministry of National Defence, Lithuanian Armed Forces, Kaunas University of Technology, and commercial and informational partners.
The first defence and technology creative camp was organised in the Lithuanian Armed Forces in April last year, at the Vaidotas Mechanised Infantry Battalion in Klaipėda. 40 innovative product ideas were generated as result of the event. The second hackathon took place in Klaipėda in October last year and generated 11 product prototype for the Lithuanian Navy.
Related photos from the hackathon in the Lithuanian Armed Forces in 2019
