Honey, I Shrunk the Maker

I built this 6x larger than real life, fully functional Arduino GRANDE. Why? There was talk among the Make: editors about how Arduino is really big at Maker Faire, and I thought, why not make it even bigger? Literally.

After modeling it in 3D software, drafting it for laser cutting, soldering up all the banana plugs to the real Arduino UNO (this thing is really a shield), etching and painting the graphics, and building some large-scale components to plug in, here we have it. The first time I hoisted it up on my shoulder like a boom box I was pretty darned psyched!

I’m going to be showing the Arduino GRANDE at Maker Faire and doing a two talks about it on Saturday. I’ll use the GRANDE to demonstrate Arduino basics at the Make: Projects Stage in the Maker Shed (Saturday, 3-3:30 pm) and to talk about how I built this beast at the Make: Demo Stage (Saturday, 5:30-6 pm). Come on down and check it out!

It’s all packed up and ready to go.

Arduino GRANDE build photos on Flickr 

The litany of exciting Maker Faire products continues with MaKey MaKey, a device that turns anything capable of conducting electricity into a controller. Developed by MIT Media Lab students Jay Silver and Eric Rosenbaum, you simply run a bulldog clip from the board to an object and hold a connecting wire in your hand. Connecting over USB, it's entirely programming-free, but if you find your interest piqued, you can flip the board over to use the Arduino module baked into the hardware. It's already surpassed its original $25,000 Kickstarter goal and when the run begins, you'll be able to pick up everything you need for just $35 -- but if you can't wait that long, head on down to the Bay Area this weekend.

[Thanks, Ryan]

Continue reading MaKey, MaKey turns the whole world into a keyboard

MaKey, MaKey turns the whole world into a keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 01:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is Make's John Edgar Park, manfully clutching his Arduino Grande. The oversized device isn't just for show though, it's a fully working unit for those projects where a standard sized PCB just won't do. He'll be taking excited modders though the process of building it at Maker Faire on Saturday, just head over to the demo stage at 5:30pm with your pre-written Super Size Me jokes close to hand.

Visualized: Arduino gets super-sized ahead of Maker Faire originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 05:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

John Edgar Park has developed a funny project:  a fully functional Arduino that is about six times larger than real life.

Will be presented at Maker Faire 2012.

Read John’s original post.

I’ve long been envious of people on the other side of the hill who have access to maker spaces equipped with fancy tools and offering classes in how to use them.  I only see the stuff at Maker Faire and on the web—I don’t get to play with it.

Now it seems like Santa Cruz is getting one: Makers Factory — A new way to learn :: A new world to learn.

I’m wondering if there is a way I could help out: teaching Arduino programming, for example, or PC board design (which I’ve just been learning myself—see the series about printed circuit boards).  It would be great if the high-school robotics club could get some cheap access also, perhaps in return for volunteer hours.

I’ll have to get in touch with them soon and see what opportunities are available.