An engineering undergraduate student claimed the $50,000 grand prize at HARD MODE, an invite-only hardware and artificial intelligence hackathon hosted by MIT Media Lab.
Cristiano Da Silva, a mechanical engineering student, competed as part of Dreaming Objects, the winning team at the March 2026 event. The competition drew 200 participants — roughly 40 teams — from engineering, computer science and design programs across North America. Hosted by MIT Media Lab's AHA and the Design Intelligence Lab, HARD MODE challenges participants to build physical, AI-integrated prototypes in 48 hours: real hardware that senses, adapts and responds to people.
Dreaming Objects captured the jury's attention with a vision for a future where artificial intelligence lives not in screens or chat interfaces, but in the everyday objects around us. The team explored intelligence beyond the screen — imagining household objects with unique personalities that pick up on context cues, interact with empathy and collaborate to help others thrive. The grand prize is an investment from MIT's E14 Fund, designed to help the team turn their concept into a real startup.
"I think a younger version of me would be in awe of the things I get to do today. I really believe that staying consistent with the right ambitions, and surrounding yourself with great people, can take you farther than you ever imagined. Go make that younger you proud," said Da Silva.
Mechatronics student Cristiano Da Silva (far right) poses with his first-place team, Dreaming Objects, at MIT's Media Lab Hardware-AI hackathon this month.
Dreaming Objects accepts their first-place prize.
