March 6–8 2026
MIT Media Lab 6th Floor
HARD MODE is a 48-hour Hardware × AI hackathon focused on building the future of intelligent objects: devices that sense, learn, adapt, and respond to the people around them. The challenge is to imagine what else AI could be. Not another chatbot. Not another app. Real hardware you can hold, wear, share, install, and live with.
200 participants will integrate AI with physical systems to prototype tangible, functional artifacts. Systems that rethink how humans connect, learn, reflect, work, play, and thrive. Hosted by MIT Media Lab's AHA and the Design Intelligence Lab, HARD MODE brings together engineers, designers, and researchers to push the boundaries of what intelligent hardware can be.
Apply to participate here: https://shorturl.at/EQIf8 (Deadline Feb. 15 2026)
Thinking beyond the soft stuff, your challenge is to build physical prototypes that integrate cutting-edge AI with hardware systems, creating intelligent solutions that directly impact how humans interact with and benefit from technology. Projects will range from single application objects to novel platforms that enable multiple applications, with uses spanning education, health, entertainment, productivity, and communication.