The CI Lab's goals for this one-day event are simple—we only want to spark some great ideas for technologies that can make a profound difference in the world. During the Summit participants discover the latest information on technology’s role in community building. Participants also are exposed to new ways of thinking about technology and about civil concerns. Equally important, there are plenty of opportunities to socialize with peers from industry, the academy and the citizen sector.

The results of each Spark Summit vary. In the inaugural Summit, the CI Lab convened 40 people representing 4 communities, 10 companies and 4 MIT departments. Together these teams imagined inventions such as:

• Air pollution detection stickers that attach to children's clothing to warn of asthma conditions
• Area sensors to capture air quality information and display asthma warnings in real time
• Interactive kiosks to promote civic engagement in multi-lingual communities
• Gaming platforms to promote youth interest in the community, ultimately building safer neighborhoods
• Web site to expose youth and parents to the excitement of new technologies with the intent of seeding the demand for more contemporary technology in the public school curriculum