Research foundation
Accessibility thesis, provenance labels, file-stewardship protocol, privacy boundaries, and public site.
Registered · Alexa+ primary track · submissions close October 23, 2026
From documented need to a working steward.
This page makes the build legible: what existed before the competition, what must be created during it, what the work costs, what the prizes could return, and which rules govern the boundary.
Development status
The prior work is the foundation—not the contest deliverable.
Before August 31, PIXIE documented the accessibility hypothesis, Artist File Protocol, consent boundaries, governance, research method, and public explanation. The qualifying update must be substantial, functional, visible in code, and demonstrated during the submission period.
Working Alexa+ surface
A self-hosted MCP server using Streamable HTTP and MCP specification 2025-11-25 or later.
Consent-first workflow
Describe intent, preview a proposed file action, approve or reject it, preserve provenance, and undo safely.
Evidence package
Automated tests, setup instructions, accessibility checks, friction log, public demonstration, and change record.
Planning estimate · not an invoice or guarantee
The build has a real labor cost.
The model uses a $75/hour planning rate to make Dominique Devereaux's systems-architecture and development contribution visible. Actual time, contractor rates, taxes, and benefits treatment may differ.
| Workstream | Hours | Labor value | Exit evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope and Alexa+ architecture | 8–12 | $600–$900 | Accepted technical scope |
| MCP server and Streamable HTTP | 28–36 | $2,100–$2,700 | Runnable server and tools |
| Consent, state, provenance, undo | 20–28 | $1,500–$2,100 | End-to-end safe workflow |
| Accessible web simulation | 18–24 | $1,350–$1,800 | Keyboard/mobile demo |
| Tests, threat model, privacy review | 16–22 | $1,200–$1,650 | Passing tests and review notes |
| Documentation and friction log | 12–16 | $900–$1,200 | Judge-ready repository |
| Demo video and submission | 10–14 | $750–$1,050 | Public video under 3 minutes |
| Contingency and accessibility QA | 8–12 | $600–$900 | Resolved critical defects |
| Projected total | 120–164 | $9,000–$12,300 | Working, testable submission |
Direct cash
$0–$550
Expected range for hosting overages, testing, captions, media, or specialist review. Existing GitHub Pages and open-source tools keep the floor low.
AWS support
Up to $150 credits
Available by request while supplies last. Credits are not cash and charges beyond them remain the entrant's responsibility.
Unpriced need
Human review
Security, accessibility, legal, benefits, and lived-experience review should be compensated when possible rather than treated as free support.
| Outcome | Cash | Compared with midpoint labor value | Project movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| No prize | $0 | Does not repay labor | Working open-source prototype, evidence, feedback, and partnership asset |
| Third place | $4,000 | About $6,650 below $10,650 midpoint | Offsets part of labor; adds $1,000 AWS credits and exposure |
| Second place | $15,000 | About $4,350 above midpoint before tax/costs | Funds stabilization and user testing; adds $5,000 AWS credits |
| First place | $25,000 | About $14,350 above midpoint before tax/costs | Supports security/accessibility review and a partner-ready pilot; adds $15,000 AWS credits and an Amazon meeting |
Financial boundary: prizes are uncertain and are not the project budget. Cash, credits, equipment, and contractor or self-employment income may require tax and public-benefit review before acceptance or spending.
Rules-fit determination
File stewardship does not conflict with the hackathon.
It is the user problem. The compliance question is whether the new submission is a working Amazon-track application rather than a pre-existing documentation project.
Fits
- Alexa+ permits a working Agent Skill or self-hosted MCP server.
- An optional web simulation may demonstrate the Alexa+ experience.
- The open-source mini challenge aligns with PIXIE's public repository and licenses.
- The project addresses a specific customer need and a credible audience.
Must be controlled
- Document every significant feature built after August 31.
- Show runtime behavior in code and in the video—not only in documentation.
- Use synthetic files in public tests and demos.
- Do not include unlicensed media, trademarks, private correspondence, or health records.
- Keep the project freely testable through the judging period.
Decision: proceed with Alexa+ and the Open Source mini challenge. Keep the Artist File Protocol as the domain model, implement one reversible file-intent workflow, and maintain a dated change ledger separating pre-hackathon materials from competition work.
How this moves PIXIE forward
A submission is useful even without a prize.
- 01Convert the specification
Turn the Artist File Protocol into callable, testable behavior.
- 02Establish implementation evidence
Show that consent, provenance, undo, and re-entry work as product behavior.
- 03Generate structured feedback
Preserve onboarding friction and feature requests for Amazon and future partners.
- 04Create a partnership asset
Use the prototype, cost model, and demo in research, accessibility, and product conversations.