NASA Challenge: Create a Graphic/Patch Design for the REALM project

Status: Closed
Prize: $250
Entries Received: 88
Winner: switchedau

Winner

Contest Brief

The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-Enabled Autonomous Logistics Management (REALM) provides for the integrated localization, transfer, and status of logistics and mission hardware to facilitate autonomous and automatic decision-making and planning. It is critical for beyond–Low Earth Orbit missions, in which ground support for finding items is impractical and re-launch of missing items is not an option. It also improves packing efficiencies for reduced stowage volume.

Simply put, REALM is a RFID tracking system for items onboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The goal of this challenge is to develop a project graphic that represents the three experiment phases of REALM. The graphic will used in multiple ways in the project. A small version of the graphic will be placed in the top corner of all presentation materials developed by the project, and a larger version of the graphic may be placed on the title page of presentations. This graphic will also be used on team items (shirts, mugs, etc.) and in materials developed for education and public outreach. Examples of NASA mission/project graphics/patches, can be found in abundance on the internet.

Background
There are three experiment phases for REALM:
- REALM-1: Logistics Awareness
- REALM-2: Logistics Reconnaissance
- REALM-3: Dense Logistics Verification

REALM-1 is planned as a 1+ year experiment on the International Space Station (ISS). It is a system of 6 fixed readers installed near ISS hatches and 24 antennas. The fixed antenna coverage zones provide ½-element module resolution. Three ISS modules will be instrumented for the experiment: Node 1, U.S. Lab, and Node 2.

REALM-2 is a RFID reader and antennas mounted on a robotic free-flyer on ISS that will be used to refine item location in the modules instrumented with REALM-1, as well as search in non-instrumented modules. It will take “RFID snapshots” when the crew uncovers logistics previously not seen by readers.

The ground-based Complex Event Processing (CEP) system provides probabilistic inference over RFID data streams and infers item locations in absence of real-time reads for REALM-1 and REALM-2 systems.

REALM-3 further refines item locations in dense packaging situations such as in textile cargo bags and “smart packaging” containers.

Solution Requirements
• Both a color version and black/white version are required.
• Color pallet is open, but limited to 6 colors and all colors used must be identified.
• Do not use gradients or other special effects, as they are difficult to reproduce across all media.
• Source File Requirements: All original vector source files of the submitted design. Files should be created in Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape and saved as layered AI or EPS files. Note that PSDs saved as EPS files are not true vector/scalable files and will not be accepted.
• All fonts (and operating systems) must be listed in a text file within your Submission Zip file. Include the name of the font and a link to where it can be downloaded/purchased. DO NOT include any font files in your submission or source files.
• All text in the graphic should be converted to outlines.
• Submission should also include a 1024x1024 version of the graphic in JPG or PNG in RGB color mode at 72 dpi (on both a black background and a white background).
• The NASA insignia or other NASA logos cannot be used as any part of your submission.
• Stock Imagery Requirements: Stock imagery is not allowed in this contest, and all elements of the graphics must be of original design.

Judging Criteria
• Requirements: Does your submission meet the requirements as stated within the challenge?
• Quality: Does your submission look fresh, professional, and clean?
• Concept: Does your submission capture the REALM Project?

Please note that NASA employees/contractors are not eligible for competing in this contest.

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Winner

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Employer Feedback

“Switchedau did an outstanding job of creating a project graphics for use with our NASA RFID-Enabled Autonomous Logistics Management (REALM) Project. This was a contest and this design was selected from 105 entries. Switchedau did a great job of providing a clean graphic that met all of the requirements and was quite creative.”

nasacoeci, United States.

Public Clarification Board

Vikasaj
- 7 years ago
Congratulations to the winner @switchedau!
- 7 years ago
creativeoncall
- 7 years ago
Congrats to the winner, that's a good-looking design!
- 7 years ago
1. creativeoncall
  - 7 years ago
  Good-looking as it is, isn't REALM about RFID used BY the ISS to target items ON the ISS? The rings on this patch suggest something emanating, but obviously from somewhere other than the ISS. They could be anything from anywhere, just not from the ISS, the only other thing depicted. Do I misunderstand he point of REALM, or does this design not only miss the point, but portray the opposite?
  - 7 years ago
Cobot
- 7 years ago
Please put some stars on #94 #101 #102 #103 #104 :)
Thanks
- 7 years ago
gian77
- 7 years ago
hello i cannot submit the zip files, every time i upload them is giving me error , so i sent you the jpg files i have the zip with all the details you told me .
- 7 years ago
Contest Holder
- 7 years ago
Just a heads up to everyone that we extended the contest by 3 days! There are some great entries so far, so keep them coming!
- 7 years ago
1. ramoncarlomaez
  - 7 years ago
  please sir check entry #76 and #77 :) thank you. your feed back is highly appreciated :)
  - 7 years ago
monjumia1978
- 7 years ago
Hello sir please check #27 #31 #32
- 7 years ago
Contest Holder
- 7 years ago
The description has been updated with "Simply put, REALM is a RFID tracking system for items onboard the International Space Station (ISS)." Hopefully that helps simplify it for everyone!
- 7 years ago
creativeoncall
- 7 years ago
While anything you tell us is appreciated, it's not too much to ask that we research it ourselves. Understanding the goal of the project is ground-zero, because you need a design that explains that simply and graphically. It's not just "some ISS project."
- 7 years ago
DepartmentS
- 7 years ago
Much, *much* better, thank you.... In short - it's a tracking system for items and equipment. People can work with that... : ) Sorry about the Spock-jibes but - to do a job like this we need to be able to basically be able to condense an entire science down to just a couple of words and then represent them visually. Quickest way to get there is to ask the guy who knows.... You've been a sport. Here's hoping you get lots of lovely designs. My regards, S : )
- 7 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 7 years ago
  Thank you. That was helpful feedback.
  - 7 years ago
2. DepartmentS
  - 7 years ago
  Pleasure. Hope to actually give it a shot m'self, assuming I ever catch a break. Perhaps possibly making an additional clarification point on your brief - right at the beginning - might not go amiss. The contextual and background information you've provided really is exemplary and very useful - it's just that immediate simplified thing of what REALM actually is and for. Putting it here's fine of course, but that assumes anyone see's it. Plus - cuts down on the repetition. always a bonus, that...
  - 7 years ago
DepartmentS
- 7 years ago
Hi - now. For those of us who *don't* speak Spock. What is REALM for. What does REALM do - we're pencil-jockey's not management.
- 7 years ago
View 2 more messages
1. Contest Holder
  - 7 years ago
  Simply put, REALM is a project that is working on systems that help keep track of "stuff" onboard the International Space Station (ISS). This project focuses on using RFID technology or "Radio-Frequency Identification" which is used in many places in every day life. If you Google RFID, you can get more information about the topic. On the space station, there are lots of items to keep track of and the astronauts rotate through their stays onboard, so you can't just rely on someone remembering where they put something. For this reason, the crew relies on the ground controllers in mission control to help them, but as you can imagine, without an astronaut or some automatic system helping to tell them where things are, the ground is blind other than limited video views.
  - 7 years ago
2. Contest Holder
  - 7 years ago
  Additional....This project is trying to help fix this issue by tagging items with these RFID tags and then using locator systems to track their location onboard the ISS. I hope this helps (and sorry for the "Spock" lingo.... occupational hazard!).
  - 7 years ago