For the third year running, the EBU's Digital Radio Week will play host to RadioHack, a set of freeform workshops where developers, engineers and geeks can experiment with the newest tools and techniques in digital and hybrid radio. The workshops are designed to have the kind of informal, relaxed atmosphere of a hackerspace, allowing participants to develop new ideas for tools and services - and to start building them immediately.
Many projects
RadioHack 2014 will feature a few already well-established projects like the RadioDNS standard for hybrid radio and Software Defined Radio based on the CRC mmbTools. New to the programme this year are the IRT's work on DABberry (below right), a complete hybrid DAB+ receiver built on the Raspberry Pi platform, and the EBU project to build a Cross-Platform Authentication protocol for media devices.
Other projects to be presented include work on automated chaptering of radio programming and the GENIVI Alliance open source platform for in-car infotainment. As in previous years, further projects and tools will certainly be presented, and it's possible that entirely new ideas will emerge over the course of the event. It's a great chance to make contacts and find new avenues to explore.
Free event
RadioHack is free to attend, but registration is mandatory. It is designed for participants from a technical background, as opposed to those focused on business or marketing aspects. Previous events have attracted participants from broadcasters, manufacturers, network operators and research labs - but the only qualifications required are an interest in radio and an open mind!