MAKE has announced its first ever Raspberry Pi Design Contest and submissions, from the United States only,  are invited before April 11th.

MAKE has partnered with MCM Electronics to give away $3,500 in prizes. Participants have to be legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are of the age of majority in their state of residence (19 or older in AL and NE, 18 or older in all other states) at the time of entry.

The contest is for projects that use the Raspberry Pi as an intrinsic part, but may include other circuitry, software, or mechanical/sculptural parts. To enter you have to submit  a description of up to 500 words plus photos and a links to a video or website showcasing it.

There are four categories for projects:

• Artistic: Use the physical computing of Raspberry Pi as a component of  a music, animation, sound, performance, or art installation.
  
  
• Utility: A useful, day-to-day application.
  
  
• Education: Educational project in a classroom or a community workshop setting.
  
  
• Enclosure: Raspberry Pi are bare PCBs with exposed ports. Design a case that's more clever or cool than all the rest.

Entries will be evaluated by a panel four judges using the following criteria: 

• Documentation (30%): Supporting material such as a blog, flickr set of photos, YouTube video, etc.
  
  
• Project Success (30%): Did your project achieve its goal?
  
  
• Unique Application (40%): Novel use of the Pi.

Each of category has a prize package worth $615.91 and includes USB DMM, DC Power Supply, Digital Soldering Iron, Gertboard, Pi Face, Pi View, Wi-Pi Wireless Adapter, & Raspberry Pi Iron-On Skill Badge. One Grand Prize Winner will receive all the above plus a Printrbot Jr 3D Printer (Assembled).

As this is a MAKE contest we can expect to see some of the most interesting projects appearing on the web and in its magazine over the coming months.