What’s MakerFaire?
From the MakerFaire.com website: "Maker Faire is the premier event for grassroots American innovation. As the World’s Largest DIY Festival, this two-day family friendly Faire has something for everyone - a showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness and a celebration of the Maker mindset."
Where?
New York Hall of Science
When?
September 17th and 18th, 2011
Why?
They are specifically looking for robotics (among many other things, of course). How can the biggest (and coolest) community of robot makers NOT be there?
Who’s coming?
I need some more volunteers who are willing to spend at least four hours at the LMR table during the Faire. I believe four hours qualifies you for a day pass, and eight hours gets you a weekend pass to the Faire.
Here are the responses I have so far:
- Me (Andrew Terranova, aka ignoblegnome)
- flummer is coming from Denmark! He’s volunteered to help with set-up, running the LMR table and tear-down. Good man!
- GeneralGeek says he will come, but needs to leave town Sunday morning.
- JoeBTheKing can come hang out at the LMR table for a while
- Krumlink came to his senses and decided 15 hours from Michigan is too crazy… then he lost them again and said he might come down with his maker group.
- TinHead will be in Boston sometime during September, and may be able to drive down to NYC for the Faire.
What are we doing/bringing?
Update 2011-09-12: Posted a video sneak peek of our stuff at MakerFaire.
Here’s what I wrote in the application for our project description:
LetsMakeRobots.com is the largest online community for hobby robot builders. At Make Faire, we’ll demonstrate the famous Yellow Drum Machine (YDM) created by Frits Lyneborg, as well as other robots by our members.
The YDM is a funky little free-range drumbot that roams around and makes beats on whatever he finds. He even samples and plays back sounds to mix with his music.
We may also have some fun projects for you to try yourself! If you’ve ever wanted to build a robot, you should stop by.
Our web page on MakerFaire.com: https://www.robotshop.com/letsmakerobots/files/userpics/u2691/RBA1.jpg
Here’s what we have so far:
- Update 2011-09-11: Frits sent me his original YDM to demo at the Faire! He’s all ready to go!
- Patrick McCabe has offered to send along his maze solving robot.
- Update 2011-08-31: Patrick is kindly including 3 sets of the AAA NiMh batteries his bot runs on. I have a charger that will work for those batteries, so we'll be all set for constant demonstrations.
- Update 2011-09-11: I got the bot! I need to buy some white board to build his maze.
- guibot is sending me a Farrusco kit!
- Update 2011-09-11: I have the kit in hand. All ready to build at MakerFaire!
- GeneralGeek may be able to bring his symet.
- OddBot has offered to send me the original Chopsticks!
- Update 2011-08-31: You can track his progress as he travels from China to the US!
- Update 2011-09-11: I have received Chopsticks and tested him out. Some minor tweaks suggested by OddBot were implemented. I need to solder a connector to his power leads so I can connect the batteries I have.
- Update 2011-08-25: I'm hoping I am going to leverage my preparations for an hands-on exhibit at the Children's Museum of Somerset NJ, and have some kits so people can come and make a simple robot at the Faire. The kits will be a simple SpurtBot line follower.
- Update 2011-09-11: Design is finalized and I have most of the parts. Hopefully finishing this up today!
- Update 2011-08-26: This just in... propellerheadgeek has offered to send me one of his Eric the Turtle robots! Laser-cuts sweetness.
- Update 2011-09-12: Ro-Bot-X is sending one of his Robot Builder's Arduino (RBA) kits, which we'll build into something at the Faire.
- JAX is frantically trying to finish a bot to send as well! Good luck, JAX!
Let me know if you can come. Also post your ideas, or if you would like to send something for us to display at the event.
What's the setup like?
Table
We should have a "standard" table with two chairs. I originally said we could be outside, but I just send the Faire organizers an email asking if we could be inside so the sunlight won't interfere with all the IR and other light dependent sensors on our robots.
Update 2011-08-25: We will have an indoor setup with two tables and four chairs provided.
Update 2011-09-11: We'll be in Zone A' on Robot Square inside the NY Hall of Science. Check out the MakerFaire NYC Program Guide.
I'd like to set up one end of the table as a "robot rodeo". We may build an edge around it so robots don't fall off too easily, and there will probably be a black on white maze for Patrick's maze solver and any line followers.
Power
I've requested 15A AC power service available so we can use soldering irons, hot glue guns, recharge batteries, etc. I'll bring a power strip. I'll have a NiCad/NiMH battery charger on hand too.
Signage
We have a banner design by flummer, which I will look into getting printed locally. I'm hoping to bring along some aluminium poles to display the banner above the table. I'm also planning on a standing table display featuring the Logobot.
I priced printing for the banner at Vista Print and Cafe Press. Both came in at about $55. I'll check a local print shop and see if I can do any better.
Update: 2011-08-31: Shirts
Hey, flummer also designed some shirt logos! They will be iron-on transfers, so LMR members coming to MakerFaire should bring a dark colored cotton shirt they would like to have the designs on.
Small Logo for front-breast, pocket or sleeve:
Large logo for shirt back or front:
