2026 Stretch Robot Pitch Competition
The Stretch Robot Pitch Competition, sponsored by TechSAge RERC, in collaboration with Hello Robot, is seeking innovative and creative hardware or software solutions to support individuals aging with disabilities by using the StretchTM robot. Developed by Hello Robot, Stretch is an open-source mobile manipulator with reaching, grasping, and sensing capabilities to support people with a wide range of tasks.
Purpose: To engage students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to generate novel design concepts for the Stretch robot that address the needs of individuals aging with disabilities.
Submission Requirements:
- 2 page proposal that highlights need/use case, methods/approach, and concept.
- Need/Use Case: Identify a need for individuals aging with disabilities, state how the proposed design product (software and/or hardware innovation with Stretch) addresses the need, and the expected significance/implications of the design.
- Stakeholder feedback: Gather feedback from end users, clinicians/experts, or healthcare professions and describe the process in the proposal. We can help you connect with clinicians if needed.
- Methods/Approach: Design process, considerations, and how you will utilize Stretch. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged!
- Concept: Detailed description of concept, including pictures or graphics, if applicable
- Pitch video (< 3 minutes) that provides an overview of you proposed design concept. It can be a video or PowerPoint with audio recording.
- *See submission guidelines for full details and judging criteria
Awards:
- First Place: $1000 cash award plus the opportunity develop and test concept in collaboration with researchers Dr. Harshal Mahajan (Illinois) & Dr. Samuel Olatunji (UTK) via independent study course
- Honorable Mention: $500 cash award
Important dates:
- Deadline: December 1, 2026 (11:59PM)
- Winning Team Announced: By December 16, 2026
- Independent Study Course: Spring 2027
Eligibility: This competition is open to all currently enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (undergraduate and graduate). Contestants may enter submissions individually or as a team. This competition is for pitching new ideas for Stretch. We strongly discourage proposals about work that have already been done with Stretch. If you’re unsure about this, please contact your institutional coordinator with your initial idea to confirm.
Office Hours: The competition coordinators, Dr. Mahajan and Dr. Olatunji are available on the following times for weekly office hours:
- Illinois: Fridays (11 am – Noon CT). mahajan6@illinois.edu
- UTK: Wednesdays (11 am – Noon ET). solatunj@utk.edu
About TechSAge: TechSAge is a collaborative research center based at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia State University dedicated to understanding the needs of, and developing supportive technologies for, people aging with long-term vision, hearing, and mobility disabilities.
Stretch Features
- Able to interact with people using a low mass, contact-sensitive body
- Works in clutter with a compact footprint and a slender manipulator
- Everything included: a gripper, a computer, sensors, and software
- Ready for autonomy
- Calibrated
- Python interfaces and ROS integration
- Autonomy demos in Python
- Open source code
For detailed Stretch specifications, please visit: https://hello-robot.com/stretch-3-product
Winning team will be working with a Stretch 3 robot.
Aging with Disability
People aging with long-term vision, hearing, or mobility disabilities are likely to experience unique challenges with everyday activities. Stretch holds great potential to assist people aging with disability in carrying out a wide variety of activities. Suggested scope of projects can include developing new capabilities for Stretch and improving on its existing features and interfaces.
Use Cases
TechSAge researchers have identified key challenges and un-met needs among people aging with disabilities. Learn about real-life challenges that can inspire your Stretch design!
User Needs for Design Inspo
How to Submit
- Prepare your proposal
- Due to potentially large file sizes, we recommend creating a link to your materials using cloud storage (e.g., Box, Dropbox, Google drive) or YouTube.
- Complete submission form
What creative ideas do you have for Stretch to support people aging with disability?
Resources
- Hello Robot
- Hello Robot open source code (Github)
- Hello Robot community forum
- Stretch docs – Quick start guides, tutorials, and user manuals
- Robots for Humanity: In-Home Deployment of Stretch RE2
- Stretch Web Teleop codebase
- Presentation by Hello Robot on Collaborating with OTs
- Aging and Disability
- User Needs for People Aging with Disabilities: Key Challenges Identified in TechSAge research
- Universal Design Videos: This video series explores the 7 Principles of Universal Design and how they can be applied to products, interfaces and spaces
- Disability Etiquette Guide: Tips on Interacting Respectfully with People with Disabilities
- Conducting Research with Adults Aging with Sensory and Mobility Disabilities
- Personas for Designing for Individuals Aging with Mobility Impairment
- Publications:
- Closing the Capacity-Ability Gap: Using Technology to Support Aging With Disability
- Aging Concerns, Challenges, and Everyday Solution Strategies (ACCESS) for adults aging with a long-term mobility disability
- Everyday Challenges for Individuals Aging With Vision Impairment: Technology Implications
- Communication Challenges and Response Strategies of Late-Deafened Older Adults
- Proposal Materials
Sponsors
TechSAge RERC
click here to read more
Hello Robot
click here to read more
Questions? Contact Us
- For Illinois Students: Contact Harshal Mahajan mahajan6@illinois.edu
- For UTK Students: Contact Dr. Samuel Olatunji solatunj@utk.edu