Maker Faire: Fun, Excitement, and Education for All Ages
We exhibited at the San Diego Maker Faire in Balboa Park a week ago. Maker Faire is one of those annual events I simply never want to miss.
“By nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit, students will see that they can create their own jobs and industries depending on their interests.”
– Laura Fleming –
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center hosted our exhibit.
The Fleet Science Center is an educational institution that makes science learning fun. It contains many "hands-on" exhibits for children of all ages. I absolutely love places like The Fleet! I can spend many happy hours playing with their interactive displays and thinking about how things work.
"Fleet Science Center" By Michael Seljos - CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
We were assigned a location upstairs.
Our decently-sized area is outlined in yellow on the floor plan below.
There was room for our main exhibit table as well as room for a card table we had brought with us. We used the card table as a site for interested visitors to try assembling one of our SILVERengines proton colloidal silver generators.
Our Booth Location at Maker Faire - Battle Bot Arena to the Right
Original Image by @creatr
But today's article isn't about us.
It's about one of our neighbors at the Faire, the San Diego Makers Guild
I was thoroughly impressed by an ingenious exhibit where Fairegoers could build cardboard battle robots.
The exhibit was hosted by the San Diego Makers Guild. Helpful guild members guided visitors through the construction and use of small "Cardboard-Combat-Bots" assembled from assorted electrical and electronic parts and common materials like cardboard.
A couple of cardboard battle-bots.
Original Image by @creatr
A laser cutter was used to slice body parts from cardboard.
You can see the laser-cut parts through the plexiglass lid of this laser printer. I thought this was pretty ingenious, as trying to get the dimensions, holes, slots, and etc. just right with a pair of scissors or a razor knife would be bound to be a disaster!
Because of the precision nature of the laser cutter, all the active parts are sure to fit properly and the end result practically guaranteed to work well.
Peeking at some laser-cut parts...
Original Image by @creatr
Guild members were on hand to help.
They skillfully guided enthusiastic children and adults through the assembly process. Tires, motors, batteries, and decorations, all fall into place more easily with a few carefully-chosen words of instruction.
"Here's how it's done..."
Original Image by @creatr
Design and construction methods are quite ingenious.
Cardboard is of course widely available very inexpensively or even free when recycling. Common materials such as zip-ties are used to hold things together securely.
Inexpensive materials are used.
Original Image by @creatr
Upon completion, Let the Games Begin!
There was an elevated battle arena, protected on all sides by plexiglass viewing walls. After the battle bots were completed, visitors were able to test them here.
The small robots are controlled using a special app on a smartphone.
Battle Bot testing in the elevated arena.
Original Image by @creatr
I am a big fan of the Maker Faire.
I truly hope you'll take the time to find one near you and attend with your offspring.
In the short video below, you can see some mini battle bots in action.
But wait, there's more!
Stay tuned — there are more photos and stories from the Faire to come.
FIN
Introducing: The SILVERengines proton - Image by @creatr
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