Emil Dudek (South Wales) runs the online index Vintage Technology, a website dedicated to chronicling antiquated calculators, clocks, radios, advertisements, ephemera, and general bric-a-brac — gorgeous! Check out the fabulous vintage calculators on Makezine.
Every year my life gets colonized for one week in May, during which 80,000 people swarm out to partake in a single event comprised of several thousand happenings. There have been many phrases and comparisons used to describe Maker Faire — "equal parts science and art, with hints of Burning Man" (San Jose Mercury News, 5/30/09), and our own tagline, "The World's Largest DIY Festival" — but somehow none of them quite sum up the whole of the parts. My dad overheard this gem last year: "This taps into something primal — so much more than geek-appeal." It's true. While we may fly our geek flag high, this isn't about one social bracket, it's about catalysts. It's about bringing potentially disparate groups together and seeing what happens in the name of exploration, creative endeavor, science, and pleasure. That's right, pleasure. AKA fun! The joy of learning something new, or sharing what you already know. I could go on and on, but I think it's best if you see it for yourself.
Maker Faire Bay Area 2010 will be happening, as usual, at the San Mateo County Event Center, May 22 and 23rd. There will be 2 other Faires happening this year, one in Detroit on July 31 and August 1, 2010 at the Henry Ford. And World Maker Faire in Queens NY, September 25 and 26, at the New York Hall of Science.
I will be working Maker Check In 24/7, so don't be shy, please stop by and say hi! And feel free to bring with you life-giving fluids (aka beer and coffee).
Using a 3D scanner and 3D software, Nina Tolstrup of London-based Studiomama captured and digitally manipulated real branches into rapid prototypes, and finally cast branches. These cast pieces were then used as connectors between the fallen branches to make basic furniture like trestles, table frames, stools and coat stands. My personal recommendation: a branch chandelier. [via Design Klub]
Granted, I want to see this done with almost any tune other than an xmas jingle, but I concede it's wonderfully executed. This interactive installation by International Lost Servant Boys (LBi), Mobile Mobile, connects upcycled mobile phones via computer to play Carol of the Bells live when you tweet it. How geek-festive. [via Fubiz]
Steampunk isn't always for me, but I do enjoy dressing up hardware in hardwood (or plywood, as it may be). Check out the whole project by Matthias Wandel on woodgears.com. [via Makezine, via Hack A Day]
Bobby Solomon of Kitsune Noir said it best: "What do you get when you mix the older films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet with the gothic creativity of Tim Burton? I think it would roughly add up to the amazing sculptures of [French artist] Stephane Halleux." Add a little Miyazaki, a bit of Katsuhiro Otomo, and a dash of Wallace and Gromet and you start to get the idea. Loaded with Steampunk goodness, Halleux's creations breathe an other-worldly air. Beast or brute, man or machine, gizmo or gadget, these quirky characters propel us instantly to the imagined territories from whence they came.
I'm not the Anti-Crafter, but I have to admit I don't much get into Halloween (please don't throw things). But then Becky has to go and post these really awesome LED eyelashes from the Fashioning Technology blog (Syuzi Pakhchyan) and I start to reconsider everything. Cyborg hottie anyone? [via CRAFT]
In honor of the Open Source Embroidery show at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art (MoCFA) in San Francisco, I would like to share my first (and to date only) LED embroidery — birthday cupcake! This little experiment was created at Maker Faire Austin 2008, and was made possible by the patience, expertise, and tutorage of friend and co-worker Becky Stern, whose Lily Pad embroidery is shown above. Also partaking in the show is friend Travis Meinolf, who will be hosting one of the ongoing workshops of this event, teaching patrons how to weave. It cannot get any cooler than this! Come out and join us this Thursday, October 2, starting at 6pm. More electronic embroidery with Becky at CRAFT.
That's right. Rock Band finally got to the Fab Four. "This will be the first music game to offer harmonies, challenging you to recreate The Beatles’ vocal blend. There are custom-built models of the instruments the band itself played, audio straight from the masters, and graphics that take you on a magical tour through the key moments in Beatles history." All the nifty fan and tech stuff aside, the graphics are just beautiful. It reminds me of both the Paprikaparade scene and the opening credits, shown here for your enjoyment.
Ben Fry has created a stunning bit of visual data that is at once alluring and appalling. All Streets is an image of 26 million road segments across the lower 48 United States. The darker the line clusters, the higher the road (and thus population) density. Here you can see the entire U.S., as well as a close up of each coast with focal points on the San Francisco Bay Area and the Appalachian Mountains. It's worth the read to have a window into his process.
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