-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/08/kansas.html
Here's a delightful video of each of the presenters at the Kansas City Mini Maker Faire, by Roger Dodger Aviation. They write:
This was a first for Kansas City. Dozens of exhibitors displayed a wide variety of science, art, craft, DIY, and maker projects. We had stuff for kids like the paper rocket launch, mini-building blocks, soldering lessons, hacking happy meal toys, beginner robots and more. For big kids we had CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines, an electricity-spitting Tesla coil, a replica working submarine, 3D printers, big rockets, big robots, a cable-climbing space elevator, 3D scanners, a thermal electricity generator and more.
The event was held on August 22, 2010 and we're hoping for an even bigger event next year.
Thanks to all the sponsors, exhibitors, businesses and volunteers that made the KC Mini-Maker Faire a success!
In addition to producing the above video, they also assembled a list of each of the presenters at the Faire. If you're interested in any of the above projects, you can check them out here:
Make Magazine
Make:KC
Cowtown Computer Congress
Main Street Parkville Association
HMS Beagle Science Store
Clayco Electric
Kauffman Foundation
Greater KC Chamber of Commerce
KC Space Pirates
Argonaut Jr.
Metro Homeschool Robotics
Hack Art Lab
Kansas City Robotics Society
Roger Dodger Aviation
I, Bioloid
Drink Bot
STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) Society
Wii Labyrinth
Robotic Golf Table
Habitat for Humanity ReStore KC
KC Association of Rocketry
Orange Grapes
Glow Doodle
Github
SCOPE
Versonova
SprayPaintArt
DIY Security Screwdrivers
Hallmark Christmas Ornaments
Remote Control Nerf Turret
More:
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
August 30 2010, 9:00pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/08/22_hackerspaces_at_maker_faire_detr.html
According to Mitch Altman, 22 hackerspaces were represented at Maker Faire Detroit. That's quite an impressive turnout from the Midwest and Canada.
OmniCorp Detroit (OCD) -- Detroit, MI
I3 -- Ferndale, MI
All Hands Active (AHA) -- Ann Arbor, MI
A2 MechShop -- Ann Arbor, MI
Site3 -- Toronto, OH
Hacklab.TO -- Toronto, OH
Kwartzlab -- Kitchener, ON
think|haus -- Hamilton, ON
BloomingLabs -- Bloomington, IN
Independent Media Center -- Urbana, IL
LVL1 -- Louisville, KY
Hive13 -- Cincinnati, OH
Arch Reactor -- St. Louis, MO
CCCKC -- Kansas City, MO
Paper Street Motors -- Detroit, MI
Pumping Station: One -- Chicago, IL
Hack PGH -- Pittsburgh, PA
Noisebridge -- San Francisco, CA
LVL1 -- Louisville, KY
Quad Cities Co-Lab -- Quad Cities, IL/IA
Sector67 -- Madison, WI
Interlock Rochester -- Rochester, NY
The founder of Noisebridge in SF, Mitch organized a panel discussion on hackerspaces on both days at Maker Faire Detroit. In addtion, he was organizing the "learn to solder" area. Mitch is currently on a "Learn to Solder" tour of hackerspaces in the Midwest and he's scheduled to be in Louisville, KY this Saturday at LVL1 hackerspace. The Louisville Courier-Journal featured LVL1 in a recent article:
"Maker Movement expands to Louisville: Area gadget builders open workshop"
The growth of hackerspaces, particularly over the last year, is just amazing.
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!August 9 2010, 8:30pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/08/mark_frauenfelder_at_the_faire.html
MAKE editor in chief and Boing Boing potentato, Mark Frauenfelder, posted a nice piece about his favorite makers at this past weekend's Maker Faire Detroit.
David Smith makes beautiful handmade instruments, including cigar box ukuleles and this surprisingly sweet-sounding wire violin. Video of wire violin.
These three boys are about to enter 6th grade. They demonstrated their Blackjack dealer robot, which sensed the presence of players sitting at a table and dealt cards to them. It worked flawlessly, and won first prize in a Robotics competition held by the US Army RDECOM (I served as a judge in the competition).
Ross Hershberger -- who wrote the article in MAKE Vol 23 about how to make a Squelette, an inexpensive, great sounding bare-bones amplifier -- brought along an earlier version of the amp.
My favorite makers at Maker Faire Detroit
More:
Read all of our Maker Faire Detroit coverage
From the pages of MAKE:
MAKE Volume 23, Gadgets
This special issue is devoted to machines that do delightful and surprising things. In it, we show you how to make a miniature electronic Whac-a-Mole arcade game, a tiny but mighty see-through audio amp, a magic mirror that contains an animated soothsayer, a self-balancing one-wheeled Gyrocar, and the Most Useless Machine (as seen on The Colbert Report!). Plus we go behind the scenes and show you how Intellectual Ventures made their incredible laser targeting mosquito zapper -- yes, it's real, and you wish you had one for your patio barbecue. All this and much, much more.
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!August 3 2010, 6:00pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/08/power_racing_on_jalopnik.html
Jalopnik has a fun piece on this weekend's Power Racing Series competition at Maker Faire Detroit.
Two vehicles were super reliable and put on an endurance racing clinic. One, the "Pit Rats" of OmniCorps Detroit took the race with decent speed, good handling and unfaltering performance. They didn't even need to come in for a battery change. Taking second was "Baby Burrito" out of Milwaukee employing the slow and steady wins the race strategy, in third with a fast but occasionally broken car was i3 Detroit in their "My Little Friend" Jeep. Who knows, maybe there'll be a Jalop entry next year.
Power Wheels Racing: Fat Men On Souped-Up Toy Cars
More:
Power Racing: Grown humans stuffed into teeny-tiny cars (who aren't Shriners)
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
August 1 2010, 11:45pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/08/outbound_faire_comments.html
Photo by Marc de Vinck
Here are a few answers to the question "What was your favorite part?" that people posted on our Maker Faire Detroit Facebook page and on Twitter as they left the event. Thanks to everyone who came out and made this such a wonderful and memorable weekend. We hope the event was fun, informative, and inspiring. From the "exit poll" data, this looks to be the case.
Jen Johnson
I liked the stitch zone and crafty areas, bf liked the future of transportation talk the best, and we both agree that The Henry Ford was a perfect venue!!
Alisa Osborne Seccia
I was completely amazed! I loved all of the needlecraft and my little one was wowed by all of the robotics and really cool inventions. What a great time.
Deborah Kaplan
The look on my son's face throughout the day... Now he keeps asking me when he can take apart the TV!!! Gotta keep my eye on my appliances :-)
Mark Kayser
Talking with people like Bre Pettis of MakerBot and hearing them say "You can do this." or "You need to go see _______ for more info about how to do this part." To talk to people about what I dream of and not have them look at me like I am crazy!
Wesley Faler
All the wide-eyed excitement! Young and old, people could not stop smiling.
Casey Buchanan
The Sashimi Tabernacle Choir made me laugh hysterically!
Derrick Karteczka
The friendliness & knowledge of everyone working there. Whenever I or my 6 year old daughter had a question, they answered it perfectly for either of us.
Steven Ray Stuart
When the operator of the time machine said to a curious young lad fiddling with the machine, "You shouldn't play with switches when you don't know what they do". Sound advice on a time machine!
Brian Howell
Both my kids said their favorite thing was silk screening their own t-shirts. Those guys were great!
I really dug seeing all the CNC machines, the i3Detriot stuff was clever, and the craftsmanship on Big Dog was awesome to see up close.
Ran into Leo Laporte, and all I could think to say was "how are ya?!" :o) Felt like a dork.
Will Retluoc
Wow! Please come back next year. So much inspiration.
And a few from Twitter:
@burriseng
Walking away with too many #ideas and #projects
@plural
Our @makerfaire experience is about to reach its end. What a ridiculously inspiring and amazing weekend!
@nysci
Good bye Detroit City #makerfaire you were amazing! @thehenryford was an incredible host, we hope to be as good @nysci for World #makerfaire
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
August 1 2010, 6:01pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/08/lemon_battery_webcam_1.html
Alan Languirand has something called Project Lemon Battery set up at Maker Faire Detroit. It's a solar-powered, 3G-connected webcam on a pole that takes pics every ten seconds and uploads them to a webpage.
Project Lemon Battery is part of a larger initiative Alan is involved in to sell "micro real estate" in Detroit to raise money to support good works in the city. Why "lemon battery?" "To be successful, we will need all the help we can get from anyone interested in realizing this goal, including the tinkerers with lemon batteries and potato alarm clocks in their science-fair past."
There's more info about the construction of the Lemon Battery camera rig on the project's blog.
(A few more webcam captures from yesterday and today after the jump.)
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
August 1 2010, 2:30pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/08/sunday_schedule_for_maker_faire_det.html
For a complete daily schedule with links, see the online program.
Make's Mark Frauenfelder will talk about his new book "Made by Hand" and cigar box guitars. Bre Pettis of MakerBot will talk about personal fabrication. Also, Ted Hall of Shopbot Tools will talk about his grandfather who was an inventor who worked with Henry Ford and became "the father of aviation lighting." Ted visited his grandfather during the summer and spent time with him in his workshop. There are lots of hands-on demos and ongoing activities throughout Maker Faire.
ANDERSON THEATER (IN MUSEUM)
11:00 AM New Appropriate Technology, John Barrie
11:30 AM Tearoom for Robots, John Marshall
1:00 PM Inspired by Bucky Fuller
• Wind Power on Buildings, Bil Becker of Aerotecture
• My Personal Journey Thru Space and Time, Dewayne Hendricks
2:00 PM Made By Hand, Mark Frauenfelder of Make
2:30 PM Generations of Makers, Ted Hall
3:00 PM 3D Printing and Personal Fabrication, Bre Pettis, MakerBot Industries
MAKE DEMO STAGE (TENT)
• 10:00 AM Automated Web Brewery, Joe Szacon
• 11:00 AM Rogue Engineering, Eric Michaud
• 12 PM DIYLILCNC, Chris Reilly
• 1:00 PM Laser Lunch Box, Mike Gould
• 3:00 PM Matt Mets Makes, Matt Mets
• 4:00 PM Quad Copters, Eric Merrill
DIY THEATER (AUTO HALL OF FAME)
• 10:00 AM Green Crafting: Handmade Detroit
• 11:00 AM Crafting with Wire, Deanne Neiburger
• 11:30 AM Sewing Fabric Floweres, Karen LePage
• 12 PM Building a Business from Junk Drawer Common Sense, Sarah Hodsdon,
• 1PM Hackerspaces Panel
• 2PM Space as a Service, Michael Kessler
• 2:30PM Crafting with Xyron's Creatopia, Brookelynn Morris
• 3:00PM Button Machines, Amanda Marie Edmonds
• 3:30 PM Repair 2.0: Reinventing the way we fix things, Kyle Wiens, iFixit
• 4:00 PM DIY Garden Irrigation, Jamie Wolfe
LOCAL ROOTS STAGE (TENT)
• 11:00AM Genesis
• 12 PM 80 lbs of Chicken in 8 weeks, Chad Chenier
• 1:00 PM BEE Aware!Tracey Gaudette, Island Gold Honey
• 2:00 PM Brother Nature Farms, Greg Willerer
• 3:00 PM Local Food Map, Local Dirt
METALWORKING AREA
• 10 & 2PM Metal Casting Demo, Rick Chownyk
**Additional Performances**
Life-sized Mousetrap Performance (outside) -
11:30, 1:30, 3:30, 4:30PM
Illuminatus 2.1 Laser Lightshow (Anderson Theater) - 10, 12, 2:30, 4:30PM
Power Racing Series events - 10, 1 PM
COKE ZERO & MENTOS -- 4PM (outside)
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!August 1 2010, 8:00am | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/creative_weirdness_at_maker_faire.html
Twitpic image from today, spotted on @jonrjohnston's Twitter feed
One of the things I love about Maker Faire (and MAKE and Make: Television and everything else we do) is the relative mainstreaming we offer to creative weirdness. There's always an element of fringe creativity and over-the-top whimsical invention at the Faires, makers who don't paint inside recognizable lines — they march to their own drummer 'cause they are their own drummer — and they made the drum (and it's unlike any you've ever seen or heard).
Maker Faire itself doesn't fit into any neat category. It's a "DIY festival," but it's also an inventors and science fair, an art exhibition, a hackers convention, a free-for-all cosplay outing, a strange music festival, and lots more. But best of all, it's a place where people who aren't afraid to dream up "unique" ideas and give them form have a place to show off their stuff, a place where they are welcomed and respected. Sure there are giggles, and eye-rolls, and "what the heck is THAT!?" questioning points and stares. But in the context of the Faire, most people seem to give the stranger creations some respectful slack; they seem to intuitively understand that, to get a MakerBot, or an Arduino, or a Detroit 2.0, things like... well... like the Sashimi Tabernacle Choir and the Pumpkin Embalmer need to happen, too. As Stewart Brand once said (paraphrase): "You have to look at the edges to figure out where the middle is going."
More:
Singing with the fishes
Maker Faire Detroit: Pumpkin Embalmer interview
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
August 1 2010, 12:01am | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/sunday_talks_at_maker_faire_detroit.html
Here is the lion's share of events scheduled for Sunday at Maker Faire Detroit at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, MI. Sunday's hours are 9:30 am to 5pm. For a complete schedule and links for more information, see the full event schedule. Here for the Program Guide [PDF].
ANDERSON THEATER (IN MUSEUM)
10-10:30AM Illuminatus 2.1 Laser Lightshow, Laser Lunch Box LLC
11:00AM New Appropriate Technology - Low Cost Renewable Energy and Clean Tech for Developing Countries, John Barrie
11:30AM Tearoom for Robots: Making an Interactive Environment, John Marshall
12:00PM Illuminatus 2.1 Laser Lightshow, Laser Lunch Box LLC
12:30PM Generations of Makers: Is the Past a Source of Inspiration or Is It a New World?, Ted Hall
1:00PM Wind Power on Buildings, Aerotecture International, Inc.
1:30PM My Personal Journey Thru Space and Time, Dewayne Hendricks
2:00PM Made By Hand, Mark Frauenfelder
2:30PM Illuminatus 2.1 Laser Lightshow, Laser Lunch Box LLC
3PM 3D Printing and Personal Fabrication, MakerBot Industries
4:30-5PM Illuminatus 2.1 Laser Lightshow, Laser Lunch Box LLC
DIY THEATER (AUTO HALL OF FAME)
10-10:30AM Green Crafting, Handmade Detroit
11-11:30AM Crafting with Wire, Deanne Neiburger
11:30AM - 12PM Sewing Fabric Flowers, Karen LePage
12-12:30PM Building a Business from Junk Drawer Common Sense, Sarah Hodsdon
1-1:30PMPM Hackerspaces, Mitch Altman
2-2:30PMPM Space as a Service: Adapting to the new system of work, Michael Kessler
2:30PM Crafting with Xyron's Creatopia, Brookelynn Morris
3PM Button Machines 101, Amanda Marie Edmonds
3:30PM Repair 2.0: Reinventing the way we fix things, Kyle Wiens
4:00PM DIY Garden Irrigation, Jaime Wolfe
CENTER STAGE
10AM-10:45 AM Unatronics, Michael Una
12PM-12:45PM bimber, Dave Kadlitz
1PM-1:45PM Hornet Gun, Hornet Gun
2PM-2:45PM CMKT4 - Making Music from Junk, CMKT 4
3PM-3:45PM Broken Arrow Blues Band, Broken Arrow Blues Band
4:15PM-4:45 PM Traeder, Traeder
LOCAL ROOTS
11AM-12PM Genesis Tea, Genesis Tea LLC.
12PM-1PM 80lbs of Chicken in 8 weeks on 1/4 acre, Chad Chenier
1PM-2PM BEE Aware!, Island Gold Honey
2PM-2:30PM Brother Nature Farms, Brother Nature Produce
3PM-4:00PM Local Food Map, Local Dirt
MAKE DEMO STAGE (Near MAKER SHED)
10AM-10:30AM Automated Web-Controlled Brewery!, Joe Szacon
11AM-11:30AM Rogue Engineering, The Open Organization Of Lockpickers (TOOOL)
12PM-12:30PM DIYLILCNC, Make Your Own Little CNC Mill, Chris Reilly
1PM-2PM Laser Lunch Box Demo, Laser Lunch Box LLC
3PM-3:30PM Matt Mets Makes, Matt Mets
4PM-4:30PM Quad Copters, Eric Merrill
METALWORKING AREA
10AM-11AM Metal Casting Demonstration, Rick Chownyk
2PM-3PM Metal Casting Demonstration, Rick Chownyk
**Additional Performances**
Power Racing Series events - 9:45am Final Qualifying Round, 1PM-3PM FINALE: Endurance Race
Coke Zero & Mentos -- 4PM (outside)
Note: We'll be tweeting a majority of the events on the Maker Faire Twitter channel 1/2-hour before the events start, so "hit your clip" (as the pager-era slang used to go) and check Twitter if you're at the Faire and looking for something to do.
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!July 31 2010, 10:31pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/the_art_and_community_of_the_diy_ir.html
It wouldn't be DEtroit without vats of molten metal as bright as the sun pouring and spitting into molds. Poet, painter, photographer, sculptor (AND bartender), Joe Sandor, is providing the hellfire at this weekend's Maker Faire Detroit. Joe's actually from Chicago, but we won't hold that against him. Tonight, at 7pm, he'll be at the Lost Arts stage, doing a live iron pour using creations from the earlier Scratch Block Workshop. Fresh-baked cannonballs on sale, too!
Joe has a great piece in the latest issue of MAKE, called "Slag Social: The art and community of the DIY iron pour." From the pictures in the article, it looks like a lot of fun, really hot, sweaty fun.
Chicago Crucible
From the pages of MAKE:
MAKE Volume 23, Gadgets
This special issue is devoted to machines that do delightful and surprising things. In it, we show you how to make a miniature electronic Whac-a-Mole arcade game, a tiny but mighty see-through audio amp, a magic mirror that contains an animated soothsayer, a self-balancing one-wheeled Gyrocar, and the Most Useless Machine (as seen on The Colbert Report!). Plus we go behind the scenes and show you how Intellectual Ventures made their incredible laser targeting mosquito zapper -- yes, it's real, and you wish you had one for your patio barbecue. All this and much, much more.
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
July 31 2010, 5:45pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/learning_to_solder_at_the_faire.html
One of my favorite features of Maker Faire Bay Area was the Maker Shed soldering merit badges and the Learn to Solder tent. It looks like it's a similar hit in Detroit. Marc de Vinck shares this great Maker Faire moment:
Marc (asking a kid): "Did you learn to solder? Was it fun?"
Kid: "Yeah! Mom, I want solder for Christmas."
Hear that, Santa? The kids want solder for Christmas!
Do YOU know how to solder yet? It's a lot easier than you think. We have tons of resources here on MAKE to get you started. Here are a few:
In the Maker Shed:
Learn to Solder kit
Comes with a 30w soldering iron, wire cutters, and a soldering practice kit.
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
July 31 2010, 2:31pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/aj_the_fiesta_at_maker_faire_detroi.html
Our old pal, the net-connected, twittering car, AJ the Fiesta, is back in action and tweeting from Maker Faire Detroit. How's the tire pressure, AJ?
American Journey 2.0 on MAKE
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
July 31 2010, 10:46am | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/gates_open_on_maker_faire_detroit.html
Once again, the DIY Bigtop has thrown open its flaps; the tech and creativity circus has come to town! Cue up the circuit-bent marching bands, switch on the robo-clowns, rev up the art cars. It's time for Maker Faire Detroit at The Henry Ford!
If you're going to the Faire, or just want to follow the action from afar:
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
July 31 2010, 9:30am | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/maker_faire_detroit_pumpkin_embalme.html
The first ever Maker Faire Detroit is taking place next weekend (July 31 and August 1) at The Henry Ford, and the more I read about the over 250 makers who will be displaying their creations, the more I'm amazed at the variety of projects that will be there. Arts, engineering, robotics, food, you name it. Today we chat with Steve Frey, the brains behind Dr. Frybrain's biodegradable Pumpkin Embalmer.
1. Tell us about the project(s) you're bringing to Maker Faire.
Pumpkin Embalmer is a chemical formula that extends the life of carved pumpkins, aka jack-o'-lanterns. Normally pumpkins only last a day or two before they start to rot. Why? Decay bacteria need two things: water and food. A pumpkin is 90% water, and the other 10% is food! The bacteria also need an acidic environment (pH below 7), and pumpkins are naturally acidic. Pumpkins will also start to shrivel as they naturally lose their moisture.
When a carved pumpkin is soaked in the Pumpkin Embalmer solution, the natural moisture is drawn out of the flesh of the pumpkin, and it is replaced with a mineral. This starves the bacteria of their water source, and at the same time helps to retain the pumpkin's natural shape. The solution also has a high pH level (basic), which raises the pH of the pumpkin, thus retarding the growth of the bacteria.
2. How did you hear about Maker Faire and why did you decide to participate?
A friend of ours is actively involved in the DIY "Home Haunt" scene, and suggested we attend. We are hoping to find a company or individual interested in licensing our chemical formula (U.S. patent pending) and registered trademark, to produce and distribute the product.
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!July 22 2010, 10:00pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/maker_faire_bay_area_2010_on_kron_4.html
KRON Channel 4 (Bay Area ABC affiliate) ran a nice segment yesterday on Maker Faire Bay Area 2010. Check it out.
Best of the Bay
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
July 18 2010, 11:01pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/maker_faire_detroit_limitless_plott.html
Only two weeks left until the first-ever Maker Faire Detroit takes place at The Henry Ford, on July 31 and August 1! It's exciting learning about all the creative projects and people coming to the Faire. Today we chat with Nicholas Reed of the Limitless Plotter project.
1. Tell us about the project(s) you're bringing to Maker Faire.
For the past seven months, fellow KU alum Tim Williams and I have put our minds to building a platform for blending digital and physical art. Our project is all about having the mobile ability to put almost any type of media on almost any surface and utilizing computer control for precision and complexity. We've started by testing with dry erase markers on white boards, and have now successfully implemented an airbrush, which allows nearly all surfaces to be marked on. In the infant stages we spent a great deal of time researching CNC kits and how they operated, so that we could rebuild one to fit our needs. Our design uses "over the counter" supplies (besides the CNC kit) to create an expandable system that is customizable for different canvas sizes.
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!July 16 2010, 9:30pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/life-size_mousetrap_hits_the_road_f.html
Just got this message from Maker Faire Director Sherry Huss:
The Mouse Trap Truck is heading East.... with Detroit and New York Maker Faire on the side.....
How fun is that? I never thought I'd end up in the circus, but there ya go. There's a maker born every minute!
Maker Faire Detroit
Maker Faire New York
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
July 15 2010, 1:00am | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/maker_faire_detroit_bigdog_intervie.html
There are just two weeks left before the first-ever Maker Faire Detroit, taking place on July 31 and August 1 at The Henry Ford. Motor City is a Maker City, and it's exciting to see it all coming together. Among the creative projects coming to the Faire is the gloriously pedal-powered BigDog (pictured above), which looks like the Hennepin Crawler's slick Midwestern cousin. We chatted with Tom Wilson, the maker behind BigDog.
1. Tell us about the project you're bringing to Maker Faire.
A wonderfully impractical assemblage of bicycle, go-cart, and golf-cart pieces and parts, drainage pipe, steel tubing, and patio chairs. This four-wheel vehicle allows four passengers to travel in minor discomfort at speeds approaching a brisk walk, for relatively short distances, on completely flat terrain.
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!July 14 2010, 9:00pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/07/maker_faire_detroit_highlights.html
The countdown is on to Maker Faire Detroit. 19 days and counting. A new Faire mailing went out today. You can see it here. Advance tickets are still available at discounted prices through midnight (ET) on 7/15. See the ticket ordering page for details.
Here are some of the Faire highlights:
Maker Faire Detroit is a great gathering of makers from all over the Midwest. Bringing a mix of unique talent and wonder, blending fan favorites like the Life-Size Mousetrap with new makers like Matthew Switlik from i3 Detroit and his Arduino Powered Skeeball Machine, Electric Motorscooters from Erik Kauppi, and Rick Chownyk with his Jumbo Etch-a-Sketch.
Of course, there will be rockets and robots, DIY science, hands-on play areas, and activities for all ages. Crafting with TNNA, and the creative craft folks from Handmade Detroit. Don't miss new cool tools, such as the Limitless Plotter by Nicholas Reed from the University of Kansas, or the Solor Vox by Eric Strebel in the Michigan Made space of Maker Faire Detroit.
Attractions abound: Eepybird.com will be there with their Coke Zero and Mentos Fountains shows, as will the Cyclecide bike rodeo and human powered carnival, both Maker Faire favorites not to be missed! Deus Ex Machina, a large scale swing that is set with a computer controlled interactive water plane is a must-see.
The Life-Size Mouse Trap will also be in Detroit. Life-Size Mousetrap is the classic tabletop board game turned into a life-size spectacle! A colorful assemblage of kinetic sculptures fantastically handcrafted into a giant 25 ton Rube Goldberg machine!
We are in the Detroit, and in the spirit of Motor City, Maker Faire Detroit will have a host of hands-on car activities. Check out the Hack A Race Track for lots of fun, like Power Racing and more. Or the MINI-Z Motor Race area. Plus art cars and so much more! Vroom Vroom!!
This is just a sampling of some of the makers and activities you'll see at Maker Faire Detroit.
Get out of your garage. Come out here to meet all those makers that Hail from the great state of Michigan.
See you in Detroit!
More:
Maker Faire Detroit: Arduino Skeeball interview
Read the Full Story » |
More on MAKE » |
Comments » |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!July 13 2010, 1:00am | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/06/sylvias_super-awesome_maker_show_-.html
Here's the second episode of our favorite new show, Sylvia's Super-Awesome Maker Show. In this installment, the super-awesome Sylvia explores this year's Maker Faire Bay Area (and does projects she learned at the Faire!). Keep up the inspiring work, Sylvia!
Sylvia's Super-Awesome Maker Show: Episode 02 - Part 1, Maker Faire 2010
More:
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
June 13 2010, 3:00pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/06/adam_savage_on_problem_solving_how.html
June 5 2010, 5:42pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/06/detroit_call_for_makers_extension.html
Attention Midwest makers! It's time to apply to show your stuff at Maker Faire Detroit! We have a lot of great applications, but we know many of you have been procrastinating or found out late, so get yourself over to the call for makers and show us what you make! The deadline has been extended to June 15th.
While you're at it, you might become a fan of Maker Faire Detroit on Facebook.
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!June 3 2010, 2:00pm | More »
-
I posted to hackaday.com
http://hackaday.com/2010/05/27/bamf2010-look-sir-droids/
Ask any engineer what originally sparked their interest in technology, and almost universally the response will be a Hollywood film or TV robot — Star Wars’ R2-D2, the B9 robot from Lost in Space, or Short Circuit’s Johnny 5, to name a few. Engineers need a creative outlet too, and some pay homage to their inspirations by building elaborate reproductions. At this year’s Maker Faire, droid-builders had their own corner in the center hall, their work ranging from humble craft materials to ’bots surpassing their film counterparts in detail and workmanship.
Probably the most beloved film robot of all time would be R2-D2, and probably the best-known reproductions originate from the R2-D2 Builders Club, who’ve been profiled in Make and Servo magazines, among others. Every kid’s dreamed of building their own R2, perhaps from a wastepaper basket and scrap, but the club’s astromech droids are anything but kid stuff, with machined aluminum domes and intricate motor and sound systems. The club doesn’t sell robots — that would infringe on trademarks — but they do share techniques and component plans. The finished droids (are they ever really finished?) put in appearances at fan conventions and charity events.
Danger Will Robinson! Career inventor [Andrew Filo] has been engineering practical everyday items for three decades, but he cuts loose by bringing his early inspirations to life. His carefully-researched reproductions include an Apollo-era NASA spacesuit and a talking, walking…er, rolling…B9 robot.
Self-described recluse [ELS] is a builder and collector of film props and reproductions. Though he insists his Robby and B9 aren’t perfectly canon, you’d never know by looking; the detail and finish on these two was amazing. Robby is wearable, and periodically through the weekend he’d climb into the suit and entertain a new generation who otherwise might not be acquainted with this Hollywood classic.
[Matthew Ebisu] is obsessed with all things Pixar. As one of the younger makers exhibiting, [Matthew’s] materials may be simpler, but his enthusiasm more than fills the gap. He’s built — and launched — Carl Fredricksen’s house from Up in miniature form. It didn’t quite reach South America, but did net him a pen pal in Nevada. His Autopilot and Eve droids from Wall-E are more craft than tech, so his latest project, along with a gaggle of like-minded friends on his D.I.Y. Pixar fan site, is to develop a working Wall-E robot.
So readers — is there a favorite Hollywood ’bot to credit for your passion for this hacking madness? And have you built one yet? A HAL-9000 in your kitchen? Tell us about it in the comments, or if you have a build log posted online somewhere, drop us a link at tips@hackaday.com.
May 27 2010, 12:00pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/building_your_own_rocketship.html
I know we've done a lot of coverage of the Raygun Gothic Rocketship, but it really is an astounding piece and we were thrilled to have it as the centerpiece of the Faire. And, as this mini-documentary shows, it's really an amazing maker story, about a large community of some 60 people coming together to do something with no other motivations than to delight fellow earthlings and to express creativity and the power of collaboration and chutzpah.
More:
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
May 27 2010, 12:00am | More »
-
I posted to hackaday.com
http://hackaday.com/2010/05/26/bay-area-maker-faire-2010-video/
May 26 2010, 8:52am | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/road_to_maker_faire_2010_beatseqrst.html
Wow, we had an awesome time showing off our project to hundreds of people at Maker Faire Bay Area 2010! Here's a short video showing some of the reactions we got when people put the headphones on and started making their own beats with beatseqr and steppa. We're just getting started, so keep an eye out for us at http://beatseqr.com/blog/
More:
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
May 25 2010, 11:01pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/ok_go_goes_underwater_at_maker_fair_1.html
One of the more awesomely bizarre things that happened at this year's Maker Faire was the band OK Go performing onstage while inside of WaterBoy, BucketHead, and BubbleHead. These are three water-immersion devices created by Marque Cornblatt. WaterBoy is sort of a full-body water bladder a person climbs into with goggles and a breathing apparatus, and the other two just immerse your head. The band bravely decided to get into these crazed contraptions, and overcome any fears of drowning, and perform before a large crowd, without ever having been inside of them before. They had little more than a ten-minute rehearsal while immersed! The crazed, improvisational insanity of it all was palpable.
It was even decided to put goldfish into WaterBoy for lead singer Damian Kulash's time inside, which only added to the surrealism of it all. After the show, Maker Relations superconductor Kate Rowe, fearlessly volunteered to climb into the suit, in her jeans and a t-shit, to scoop out all of the fish to give out to kids at the Faire. As Dale Dougherty joked, his only fear was that they would refuse to change the water because Damian had been in it.
Here are some video highlights of OK Go and WaterBoy, and a link to a piece on PopSci on the making of a "floating head" costume.
How to Make a Floating Head Costume
More:
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!May 25 2010, 6:31pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/raygun_gothic_rocket_replicas_from.html
Photo: Billy Baque
.jpg)
Apparently there was some kind of giant rocketship at Maker Faire this year. Did anybody else notice this? I tend to tune everything else out when there's funnel cake around. We should probably put it in a more prominent location next time.
Anyhoo, if, like me, you were at the Faire and happened to miss the 40-foot-tall gleaming aluminum spaceship in the middle of the grounds, on the program, and on all the posters, don't fret: There are plenty of groovy photos and videos whooshing around the tubes, and if you find yourself unsatisfied by two-dimensional simulacra you could always purchase one of Raygun Gothic crewman Alan Rorie's kit models of the craft. He's got beautifully-printed pepakura for $13 and laser-cut plywood for $50.
More:
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!May 25 2010, 5:00pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/american_journey_20_maker_faire.html
Learn about the Team Bobcat Ford Fiesta caravan...
Team Bobcat and the Ford Fiesta caravan arrived at Maker Faire on Friday, concluding their long trek from Michigan to California. Since their class began only a few months ago, the team designed, developed, and field-tested a project of their own invention that took them on a journey both cross-country, and into the world of professional software development. Along they way, they learned about how to design interfaces for fast-moving vehicles (learning quite a bit about how their technology works in the field), tweaked their project to add handy features, and also managed to take some time to enjoy the experience of traveling across the country.
MAKE caught up with them as they stopped at Northwestern University in Illinois, University of Colorado in Boulder, Stanford University in California, and finally, Maker Faire!
Since arriving at the fairgrounds in San Mateo, the students and engineers have been busy demonstrating their projects to eager onlookers. They've also managed to spend some time taking in other exhibits. I had the chance to walk around with them, to see what they thought about the Faire:
Hanging out with a giant knitted giraffe in the Expo Hall
Learning how to turn a 3D joystick into a musical instrument
Checking out the MakerBot CupCake transformer!
We had a great time learning about DIY 3D printers, navigating through invisible audio mazes, and checking out bottle-headed sculptures. The group's favorite part of the Faire, however, was the workshops. Student Collin Hockey said he really enjoyed the introduction to soldering tutorial, and was looking forward to experimenting more with hardware in the future. The rest of the group was apparently off taking a more advanced surface-mount soldering class.
Ford engineer Joseph Rork, longtime MAKE fan and subscriber since Volume 01, was especially excited to be part of the Faire experience. He said that visitors who stopped by their display were overwhelmingly impressed with their project, especially when they found out that it was built using commodity hardware that was accessible to anyone. The only "problem" he had with the Faire was that it too much fun, and there were too many cool things to check out and to buy. Joseph said he would definitely have preferred a few extra days to be able to see everything.
MAKE really enjoyed being a part of American Journey 2.0. It's encouraging to see the interest that Ford has expressed in the maker movement, and if this project is any indication of the direction in which they're headed, it will be interesting to see where this journey ultimately takes us.
Learn about the Team Bobcat Ford Fiesta caravan...
More:
American Journey 2.0: Team Bobcat hits the road
American Journey 2.0: A visit to Northwestern University
American Journey 2.0: AJtheFiesta takes Boulder
American Journey 2.0: Cruising to Stanford
MAKE's coverage of American Journey 2.0 is sponsored by SYNC®
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!May 24 2010, 7:00pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/mashable_highlights_maker_faire.html
May 24 2010, 5:33pm | More »
-
I posted to hackaday.com
http://hackaday.com/2010/05/24/bay-area-maker-faire-2010-in-pictures/
Just when you think it couldn’t possibly get any bigger and crazier, they manage to outdo themselves again. The Bay Area Maker Faire wrapped up Sunday evening, but we have so many story leads that we’ll probably be busy until next year’s event. In the meantime, here’s just a tiny, random sampling of the countless delights that greeted visitors this past weekend.
Setup day was the only time we could get a clear shot of the Hermes space shuttle, [Morris Jarvis’] entry in the suborbital tourist space race.
Early Saturday morning, the line stretches to infinity and beyond.
At the other side of the fairgrounds, scads of locals took advantage of the free bike valet service and scored a $5 admission discount to boot. And this view shows only about half of the bikes present! We only spotted one recumbent parked out here, but quite a few inside as maker exhibits.
So much walking! This kid had the right idea, scooting around in luxury.
It’s not a Bay Area party until the original Doggie Diner heads show up!
Robots were everywhere this year. Of course the R2 Builders Club was on hand…
…but there were no Wookiees present to play chess against this robotic arm.
A row of Anybots, all ready to take up their overlord duties.
Our favorite giraffe joined the rave, replete with his new animatronic head.
The Mondo Spider, like its smaller biological inspiration, manages to be simultaneously fascinating and potentially deadly. It is, however, anything but silent.
Back outside, this MIDI-controlled pneumatic dinosaur alternately entertained and terrified children. We were hoping to witness a one-on-one battle against…
…Saphira, the fire-breathing dragon! Rar!
Nearby, [Haley Duke’s] Swamp Kirin puppet loomed over fairgoers. Kirin, we just discovered, appear to be mortal enemies of efficient JPEG compression.
[Todd Williams’] Land Shark is an animated EL wire-framed skeleton atop a large radio controlled car chassis — a great effect in the dark!
We seem to be on a bitey creature kick. Here, have a Velociraptor head popped out of a commercial ABS extrusion 3D printer.
We posted about the DIYLILCNC mill late last year. What struck us when finally seeing it in person is how it’s anything but li’l. This thing bullies RepRaps and takes their lunch money!
They were even making something in the Maker Shed store. What exactly? We’ll give you a hint: it’s printed with green ink on the back. Man, they got us good. Went in needing just one Parallax RFID reader, and somehow couldn’t leave before spending the equivalent GNP of Guam.
This is here just for blog cred.
Our hats are off — again — to SparkFun Electronics. These guys could’ve easily brought enough neat stuff to bankroll their retirement from this one show. Instead, they taught kids how to solder. How cool is that?
FPGA pr0n from Art Magnitude’s ORB v.2, a persistence-of-vision globe on a grand scale.
There was always a line waiting to play with Tangile interaction’s digital graffiti wall.
This way to the egress!
If we’ve overlooked or glossed over your favorite subject or display, it may be that we’re expecting to cover it in more detail in the future. Keep your eyes peeled for more wild stuff here!
May 24 2010, 4:57pm | More »
-
I posted to hackaday.com
http://hackaday.com/2010/05/24/bamf2010-spy-trakr-no-lasers-14861-cheaper/
Maybe $15K for an elaborate balancing telepresence robot is a bit out of one’s league. In that case, another Bay Area Maker Faire exhibitor — Wild Planet — has you covered. Faire attendees got a hands-on sneak preview of the upcoming Spy Video TRAKR, a video-transmitting radio-controlled toy that’s programmable and extensively hackable.
The TRAKR has an impressive pedigree. It’s a collaborative effort between three successful and creative technology companies: Wild Planet, makers of the Spy Gear toy line; MOTO Development Group, designers of the Flip Video camera; and Making Things, software designers for the Make Controller.
So just how hackable are we talking? The Spy Video TRAKR is intended right out of the box to use downloadable apps, and allows development of new programs in C. The controller and vehicle each contain their own ARM9 processor, and the ’bot features 8 megs of RAM, an SD card slot and USB client and host (yes, host) ports. And that’s all with the cover still on. Pop the lid, and you’ll find links to online schematics and neatly-labeled breakout headers for deeper exploration.
The Spy Video TRAKR is expected to ship in October with a target price of $139 or less. Additional photos after the break.
May 24 2010, 11:00am | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/go_to_maker_faire_for_free.html
Kim Pedersen, of monorails.org, wrote in to share how he was able to see the Faire this year... for free! Pretty cool, but I think it will be kind of hard to do a soldering workshop from that altitude:
I was lucky enough to be in MAKE Magazine and Maker Faire #1 with my Niles Monorail. Thank you again. My buddy James Horecka is showing his Dragon Flight roller coaster this year.
This year I didn't pay to get in, but I did go! Huh? I happen to be a pilot and thought it'd be fun to take some aerials of the fair. I shot them this morning, my plane is based in Hayward. I didn't mess with the zoom (too busy flying and communicating), but they are pretty good resolution. I've attached a cropped/sized down example.
Continued success to you!
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!May 23 2010, 8:30pm | More »
-
I posted to hackaday.com
http://hackaday.com/2010/05/23/bamf2010-cmt-380x-blackbird/
Okay, we lied, we totally want one of these too. The CMT 380X Blackbird is one wicked hybrid car!
Looking like it just rolled off the set of the next Batman film, the Blackbird is the brainchild of Electronic Arts Chief Creative Director [Richard Hilleman]. Starting from a kit car base — the Factory Five Racing GTM chassis — [Hilleman] created a unique 230 horsepower drive train combining a 30 kilowatt diesel turbine and 24 KWh lithium polymer battery pack.
As a purely plug-in electric car, the Blackbird has a range of 85 miles. In hybrid mode, range is extended to 500 miles. The car can accelerate from 0 to 60 in about 7 seconds. Come decelerating, the car makes use of regenerative braking.
It’s strictly a one-off for the time being, but several companies have approached [Hilleman] about possibly commercializing the design. A couple more choice pics follow the break…
May 23 2010, 5:03pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/maker_faire_its_the_best_side_of_wh.html
The SF Chronicle posted a short piece and nice video clip of yesterday's events at Maker Faire. If you're within land, sea, air (or teleportation) traveling distance, beam on over. Look at all the awesome we're having!
It's been five years since the launch of Make, a magazine for DIYers that I described back then as a publication that hopes to tap the geeky ingenuity in all of us (as well as the inner MacGyver). This year's Maker Faire in San Mateo seems to be further indication that it has most certainly accomplished that.
Maker Faire: Celebration of geekdom
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
May 23 2010, 1:01pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/the_road_to_maker_faire_how_to_laun.html
The Raygun Gothic Rocketship has been successfully installed and is "standing by," ready for the 2010 Makers Faire weekend. Our gantry tower has been erected and the explosive bolts on the escape hatch are armed!
We are all systems go...!
The RGR is more than just a shiny outer hull... and so we wanted to give you a brief glimpse of what you'll find inside. To begin, here's a post by one of the lead artists on the RGR project, David Shulman, talking about our deployable on-board rocket (probe)launcher.
SeanO
How to Launch a Rocket... from a Raygun Gothic Rocketship
by David Shulman
Every rocketship needs a rocket launcher, right?! In case you want to launch a probe? Or need to fire a space torpedo? Since my friends and I were already building a rocketship, I decided that we needed to build a rocket launcher too. The fact that I've never built a kinetic mechanism before should not be a deterrent, right?! I thought long and hard about what qualities it should have. Something that can be activated from inside; a launch platform that deploys from the side of the ship; a clear blast shield that allows you to witness the launch, and a mirrored outer hull cover that lets you follow the ascent. My friend John Hollis and I started to scheme.
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
May 21 2010, 8:30pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/maker_faire_mt_pockets_traveling_mi.html
One of the group installations coming to this year's Maker Faire Bay Area, taking place on May 22nd and 23rd at the San Mateo Fairgrounds, is M.T. Pockets Traveling Midway of Curiosities and Delights. A nostalgic throw-back to carnivals of old, this exhibit is a self-contained window into yesteryear, when the carnival would roll into town and create a magical environment. We conversed with Marcus Guillard of One Hat One Hand Productions for some insight, and it's clear this crew walks the walk.
1. Tell us about the project(s) you're bringing to Maker Faire.
M.T. Pockets Traveling Midway of Curiosities and Delights has been traveling the dusty roads of America's great carnival past. Conjuring up memories of the traveling circus and images of America's small towns, transformed by the arrival of the carnival.
M.T. Pockets Traveling Midway of Curiosities and Delights is proud to have completed its 2009 tour, traveling from San Francisco, Calif., to Austin, Texas, and back. With its first-ever appearances at Art Outside 2009 in Austin and the Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco. If ever the dream of being a carnie were to be realized, we have certainly attempted. M.T. Pockets Traveling Midway of Curiosities and Delights is a full-scale five-game carnival midway.
M.T. Pockets Traveling Midway will bring to you:
Solvo Fervens Cani: The human-powered target-shooting booth.
The Great Airship Race: Take your aim, fill up your basket, and watch your airship fly the skies.
Bucksome Betty's: Enter our burlesque tent, and watch these sexy ladies dance. Don't be afraid, Madame Roadkill takes good care of her ladies and loves her patrons.
Last Call: You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. Step up and master the game you never mastered.
Put a Lid on It: Enjoy the comfort of M.T. Pockets' VIP lounge. Enjoy wearing a fine hat? Now is your chance to master the skill of flipping your lid.
Are you in the need for a little life advice? Our very own fortune teller booth and one of our fine mystic's would be happy to offer you just the advice your looking for. Win a game and get your prize. We have custom, handmade prizes and a gallery of fine works of art. You're a Winner!" Please step over to our Midway Bazaar and our fine Mrs. Jessy Brown will be happy to make you a winner.
M.T. Pockets Traveling Midway of Curiosities and Delights takes its inspiration from the traveling carnivals of the late 1920s and early 1930s. With five custom designed and fabricated carnival game tents, a 24-foot-tall center pole, a calliope, a fortune teller's booth, and its very own Midway Bazaar, M.T. Pockets Traveling Midway of Curiosities and Delights provides 360 degrees of entertainment and enlightenment. "It's cheap to play and free to look."
M.T. Pockets Traveling Midway of Curiosities and Delights requires a 50-foot-diameter circular space to be fully installed as conceived; however, it has elasticity built into its design. The entire design can be installed in a row or as individual elements. As a full circle, the carnival creates a world of its own. The "rubes," as once referred to, enter through the front opening, beckoned by the sounds of our very own Mrs. Jasmine on the calliope. Each game stands proud with its very own custom-painted sign in a marquee style. Our center pole and tent-style structure creates the illusion of the big top, but remains open to the night sky as to reference the open space of the small town carnival.
Our very own carnies come dressed and ready to work. Arriving by boxcar (a 26-foot box truck), the carnival is unloaded and set up over a 2-day period. Each custom-built wooden box and the tent is unpacked. The midway rises as the tents take their places and the games are set up. The lights turn on, the sounds cry out, and the carnies begin their call. "Step right up!" one calls out. "Come one, come al,l" another calls. These games are open for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Within moments the games are crowded and the carnival is alive. If ever you dreamt of the train showing up in your town and the carnival arriving, we have done our best to provide the opportunity to live that dream.
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!May 21 2010, 6:30pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/young_makers_explore_the_faire.html
The Faire doesn't officially open to the public until tomorrow, but things are already off to an exciting and inspiring start at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. This morning, we opened our gates to 900 local kids from 24 area schools, from Santa Cruz to Sonoma County and the East Bay. Since this year's theme is Young Makers, some students were able to present their projects to the other kids in Sequoia, the building that's been designated our "Young Makers Pavilion." This is just the preview of many young makers who'll be presenting their work in the Young Makers Pavilion over the weekend. Schmahl Science offered workshops in chromatography, Taiko drumming lessons were available, and students could do various craft projects, such as making felt plushies and woven wallets. Light doodling, EMS Lab's tabletop pong, ArcAttack! tesla coil performances, cupcake cars, and the always-popular Lego jeep, were other attractions. And, of course, the iconic centerpiece for this year's Faire, the Raygun Gothic Rocketship. Attendees ranged from kindergarten through high school, with most being in grades 5 through 8.
For the rest of the day, we'll be switching into Maker to Maker mode, an opportunity for makers to meet each other, network, and attend some presentations, including an Auto Maker 2.0 panel discussion with Tim O'Reilly, Dale Dougherty, and Venkatesh Prasad, Technical Leader of the Infotronics team at Ford Research & Advanced Engineering, talking about the future of the car and its potential as platform for open software and hardware innovation, and Chris Anderson of Wired, talking about the "New Industrial Revolution." And then... Happy Hour! (altho given all of the smiling faces and jacked-up enthusiasm radiating through the fairgrounds, getting much happier might be something of a challenge).
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!May 21 2010, 5:31pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/one_on_one_dale_dougherty_make_maga.html
Great One on One: Dale Dougherty, MAKE Magazine & Maker Faire - Bits Blog @ NYTimes.com. Nick Bilton writes:
Dale Dougherty will be overseeing the annual Maker Faire in San Francisco this coming weekend. If you haven't heard of this event, think about a typical fairground but with robots and giant mousetraps. Also, instead of traditional balloons that you tie to your wrist, some of the balloons at Maker Faire travel into space and take pictures of the earth.
In a recent blog post, Mr. Dougherty wrote about a growing group of "makers" who are creating new "DIY indie innovations." This maker community is near and dear to my heart as I spent a lot of time tinkering with robotics and electronics last year -- although most of my robots are collecting dust and still haven't mastered world domination. Here is an edited version of my conversation with Mr. Dougherty.
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!May 21 2010, 5:14pm | More »
-
I posted to blog.makezine.com
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/05/live_streaming_video_from_maker_fai.html
Live TV by Ustream
We're thrilled to be able to bring you live streaming video from Maker Faire this year, for the first time in the history of the event! Chris Connors will be bringing you two video feeds of great talks and demos from around the Faire! We're setting things up and testing today with Ustream, but feel free to head over to the Maker Faire live streaming page to see what's going on at Maker Faire. Check out the schedule of talks and demos to get an idea of when to tune in! Keep an eye on the Maker Faire Twitter stream for live video announcements, and enjoy Maker Faire Bay Area from afar!
Read more |
Permalink |
Comments |
Read more articles in Maker Faire |
Digg this!
May 21 2010, 4:45pm | More »
Sashimi Tabernacle Choir. From 
