Win $40,000 for Collaboration through Social Networking

Sponsored by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), the competition aims to learn more about social behavior in computer networks and how large computer-connected teams use their resources and connections to compete.

The competition requires participants to discover the exact position of 10 large, red weather balloons that will be placed in undisclosed locations across the continental United States. The first person to identify the location of all the balloons will win a $40,000 cash prize. The balloons will be positioned on December 5, 2009.

The 10 balloons will be placed in publicly accessible locations in the continental United States and will be on display for one day (December 5th) during daylight hours. The first participant to identify the latitude and longitude of all 10 balloons will receive the cash prize.

Contestants from anywhere in the world may participate in this contest. Registration will stay open until the contest begins.

Event details can be found at www.darpa.mil/networkchallenge and updates on Twitter.com/DARPA_News.

Related New York Times story: Looking for Balloons and Insights to Online Behavior

Comments

[Lokesh Datta]

MIT wins the contest.

MIT Wins DARPA Balloon Challenge: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2356758,00.asp

Spy vs. spy on Facebook: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/06/AR2009120602558.html