“The computers don’t write their own programs… yet!” Herbie Hancock shows Quincy Jones his computers… in 1983! Check out the old-skool touchscreen!
One of my side projects I’ve been working on lately is a fully self-contained Arduino shield. I originally started making it for the arduino classes i’m teaching. Today, I finished up the design and did a sanity-check prototype by printing out the board on paper, putting it on foam, and sticking the major components into it.
The board itself is a whole bunch of cool inputs and outputs. It has 3 sliders (with integrated LED’s… each connected to PWM). It has a temperature sensor, a light sensor, and a piezo wired as a knock sensor. It has 3 buttons, 2 PWM leds, a 7 segment led hooked up via a shift register, and a piezo buzzer. I set out to max out every Arduino pin, and I did it! I ordered the boards today, and I’m getting super psyched about it. Not only will this be a fun board to learn on, but I’m excited about using it to do all sorts of fun stuff. The possibilities are really off the charts.
The manufacturer now has my design. More pix on flickr.
We had a great time over here at NYCR doing some soldering classes. Everybody walked out of here with a beautiful LED blinky! It was a total success. Thanks to all who attended! If you’re interested in coming in for a class, check out the classes here. See you soon!
This weekend will be New York’s first Robotics Competition. It’s going to be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center @ 655 W. 34th St., New York, NY 10001 and will including a bunch of funny looking robots running around kicking soccer balls at each other.
Working in teams, students have just six weeks to create their robot. They get the opportunity to work with programmable radio controls, pneumatics, motors, electrical circuits, mechanics, machining, web design, computer animation, computer assisted design, and other technologies – just like professional engineers and technologists do. Following the six-week design and build phase, teams enter local and regional competitions.
NYCResistor wants to buy a Laser Etching Machine. We’re trying to figure out financially how we’d pay for it, and here’s the questions: If we get one, what would you use it for? Maybe you’d want to laser etch your iPhone, or a PCB, or maybe even your thumbs? Let us know in the comments.
Also, any suggestions of places in the the Tri-State area that we could get a decent etcher (used, discounted, leased etc.) please let us know.
How cool would be to say ‘Fire the Las-or!’
We’re beginning at the beginning with a few beginner’s classes. To begin:
Electronics 101: Lets make electronics fun! This is a class for the completely uninitiated. Repeat: no experience necessary! We’ll cover how to make a circuit, how to use a circuit, and what a circuit actually is. By the end of the three hour session you will be able to make a wiggling blinking wonderblob of your own creation. There are two sessions available: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/102436390 http://www.eventbrite.com/event/105038172
Soldering 101: This is the place to start if you’re interested in making any kind of electronic project that you intend on making permanent, or that you intend on working at all in most cases. We’ll be making it easy for you. This class covers the practice and theory of good soldering, as well as safety. And as a bonus, there will be some super secret hints and tips that you can only get from a seasoned professional! There are three sessions available:
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/102417333 http://www.eventbrite.com/event/105034160 http://www.eventbrite.com/event/105035163
Soldering 102: Freeform! This is a more artistic and sculptural application of the skills you will learn in the soldering 101 class. This is great for very cheap and rapid circuit building. It’s also great for wearable and toy circuitry! In this method, you will skip the circuit board completely and make working circuits that are held together by their own mechanical structure. You solder the parts directly to each other. Sounds difficult, but it will be old hat within an hour if you come give it a try! No need to take the 101 class first. There are two sessions available: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/102433381 http://www.eventbrite.com/event/105050208 http://www.eventbrite.com/event/105052214
Hope to see you there!
Last night we held our first ever party to raise funds for rent. The place was full of smiling enthusiastic smiles eagerly drinking the drinks that the barbot was pouring and stirring.
Thanks to everyone who came out to support us! We’re going to be able to pay rent this month!
Big thanks also go out to blip.tv who sponsored the wonderful fluids coming out of the barbot’s liquid emitting fingers (LEF)!
Make sure to check out Bill’s photos and Bre’s photos to check out the awesome party action!
http://www.nearfuturelaboratory.com/2008/03/26/technologies-of-kindness-and-cruelty/ – talks about how the idea that technology is neither good nor bad is fatally flawed. great read.
Tonight, hackers will take over the Tank in Chinatown, NYC!
ASDF; is a laptop quartet comprised of intractable innovators, beat mavens, shirtless composers, tireless experimenters, and robots. Using their QWERTY keyboards as midi triggers for software synthesizers and samplers, they cross-breed your expectations by performing both their own original works as well as unique mashups of works by composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass, and not excluding pop artists who won’t be mentioned here… asdf; brings a dance-party attitude to classical minimalism and postmodern experimentalism. In a word, asdf; is Laprock.
The Tank is a venu in NYC that is responsible for many great shows and also awesome hack-fests such as the Blip festival and also the Bent festival. Be sure not to miss this event!
