Last weekend I visisted the Maker Faire in Eindhoven (Netherlands). For those who are not aware about what a Maker Faire is a short introduction.
Maker Faires are initiated by Make magazine. You probably may only use the name Maker Faire when you meet their conditions. These are probable the number of stands, variety etc. So far for the legal mumbo jumbo. Besides this it really is great fun.
Maker faires are a place where all kinds of creative people meet and show their tinkerings, give workshops and demonstrations and have fun in general. The Eindhoven Maker Faire has grown from one to three halls and an outdoor happening.
At the entrance we were visited by some enormous scorpions and Robots.
As you can see the halls are big and there were a lot of visitors.
One of the stands that really impressed me was that of http://enablingthefuture.org/
This organisation which thrives on volunteers brings together tinkerers with a 3D printer and people that are disabled. What they do is design 3D printed hands and make them freely available to anyone who needs one.
So if someone (mostly children as the dutch health care does not help them) needs an artificial hand, or finger you visit the website and they will bring you in contact with someone who has a 3D printer and wants to help.
If you do have a 3D printer and want to help you are asked to print a sample for approval and when approved you will get in contact with someone who needs help.
As a printed hand or finger just costs a few euro's to make all is based on voluntarely base.
Go take a look at their website and do not be ashamed if you get emotional when you see the video's and read the stories there. Highly recommended. http://enablingthefuture.org/
Next stop. Model railway hobbyists.
Well it is not exactly my 'thing' but I was amazed at the amount of work these guys put into replicating buildings, sceneries and old trainstations. The building in the photo is a 3D printed replica of ancient Eindhoven station. It was printed and then painted. Just look at the quality !!
Then there was a stand from Inmoov. Inmoov is an open source project to build a robot. Loads of electronics involved and ages of 3D printing. The result is getting better and better.
The website4 can be found here: http://inmoov.fr/
Outside there were all kinds of crazy vehicles and contraptions. This one was a autonomous vehicle that drew all kinds of figures by dropping coloured sand.
And a gigantic horse.
And this took my particular attention. A stand of the Things Network. The Dutch Lora association. They demonstrated all kinds of Lora applications. For those in the blind. Lora is a LOng RAnge network system with frequencies that are open for everyone. So there are commercial networks and free networks like the Things network. You can send short messages over the network which can be accessed from anywhere. A bit like wifi but then for outdoors and over long distances. I will be doing some Lora projects myself so keep following this weblog.
Next to that there were 3D printers everywhere, workshops on Lora, programming etc, lectures about a new sattelite communication system for hobbyists, a hall dedicated to tinkering for kids with marble runs, building with carton, educational electronic projects, starting with programming etc etc etc. There were Micro:bits, DIY plastic recycling projects, simple robot building workshops, paper plane building, robots playing football, robots fighting eachother, robots, robots, build your own miniature car and race it against others. Just too much.
I arrived there at 10 o'clock just before opening and left at 5 o'clock just before closing time and had the idea that I still had not seen and tried everything I wanted to see and try. I really am sorry that I lacked time to attend sokme very interesting workshops....
If there ever is a maker faire which you can attend do yourself a favour and go there !!!
Find maker fairs in your country through this link: https://makerfaire.com/
Till next time
have fun.
Luc Volders
