Editor’s note: Here’s another Maker Faire 2015 post, this one from Raymond. Check out Mark’s (@mvilrokx) recap too for AppsLab completeness.
I went to the Maker Faire 2015 Bay Area show over the weekend. A lot of similarity to last year, but a few new things.
In place of our spot last year, it was HP-Sprout demo stations. I guess HP is the main sponsor this year.
Sprout is an acquisition by HP, that they build a large touchpad and projector, as attachment to HP computer. It is kind of combination of projector, extended screen, touch screen, and working pad – that seems to blend physical things with virtual computer objects, such as capture objects into 3D graphics.
TechHive’s Mole-A-Whack is quite good station too – it is a reverse of classical Whack-A-Mole.
Here’s a video of it in action:
They use arduino-controlled Mole to whack kids who hide in the mole holes, but need raise head out of the hole cover (which is arduino-monitored), and reach to push a button (MaKey connected) to earn points.
The signals go into a Scratch program on computer for tally the winner.
This pipe organ is an impressive build:
As usual, lots of 3D printers, CNC mills, etc. and lots of drones flying.
Also I saw many college groups attending the events this year, bringing in all kinds of small builds for various applications.