dorkbot-boston

Tue, May 26, 7-9PM
Microsoft New England Research & Development Center
First Floor
One Memorial Drive, Cambridge

Directions:
http://microsoftcambridge.com/About/Directions/tabid/89/Default.aspx

• On the T, take the Red Line to the Kendall/MIT stop.
• Walk straight up Main Street toward the Longfellow Bridge (past the Post Office, Bank of America).
• You will see the Parking Garage on your right, Take a right and you can enter the building from the side

Dorkbot-boston is a monthly gathering of people doing strange things with electricity. Bring your projects, in whatever state they are in, and bring 10 friends!

Thank you Microsoft Cambridge (http://microsoftcambridge.com) for opening up their venue to us this month and for supporting local makers and user groups!

This month’s presenters:

• Michael Soroka (http://michaelsoroka.com/), inventor of the Electro-mechanical Pong Table, is a Research Engineer at the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Laboratory at MIT’s Sea Grant College Program (http://seagrant.mit.edu/). Among his many projects at MIT is the Sea Perch, an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that teachers and students can build to learn about robotics, physics, and water sampling. When he’s not building autonomous subs, he can be found designing and building furniture, wooden puzzles, tesla coils and other mechatronics (see http://mikesoroka.squarespace.com/mechatronics/)

• (rescheduled from Feb) Oleksiy Pikalo (http://opikalo.wordpress.com/) is an independent inventor and artist who created a machine that can print intricate designs on lattes or other foamy beverages. At dorkbot, he will talk about the design process and technical challenges for building this artwork and demonstrate the device on tasty drinks. He’s turned this idea into a business (http://onlatte.com) and he will talk about how that process has been going.

• W. Aaron Waychoff is a network engineer and software developer and inventor of the iSrch Rndmzr 3000(tm), (http://subvertedindustries.com/) a speculative object that explores the social implications of “random” MBTA searches of riders. He will be talking about the project, and will share some tips on how to take an idea from a breadboard prototype to an object that actually looks great.

• Jimmie Rodgers (http://blog.jimmieprodgers.com/) designs toys and electronics kits and is the organizer for Noise Night (http://www.noisenight.com), a bi-monthly gathering of people enthusiastic about electronic music and circuit bending. At the May dorkbot, he will give the group an update (and, fingers crossed, a demo) on the recent Makerbot acquisition and build.

• OpenDork – Everyone is encouraged to bring your own recently completed or projects-in-progress for OpenDork, a lightning round-the-room session of peer-review and general showing-off. Art and technology projects at all stages (sketchbook to polished) and of all levels of complexity are welcomed. This is the perfect chance to say, “Hey, I’m trying to do something interesting… here is what I’ve got so far. Can anyone offer suggestions to move forward?”

I have a really awesome announcement to make this morning.

A few weeks ago, I made a plea for some help organizing dorkbot gatherings and am thrilled to let you know that Emily Daniels has stepped up to help w/ dorkbot-boston!

She is a multimedia artist, tool-maker, community organizer and educator based in the Boston area. After earning a BFA in painting and printmaking from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, she went on to become the School Director of Kaplan Aspect – Harvard Square and has since developed and established the school as a leader in ESL education. Her more recent projects involve creating interactive robots that express emotions or thoughts in order to generate empathy and make a more approachable and personable experience with computing machines.

What impresses me about Emily is her commitment to community building and figuring out ways to break down the artificial barriers between various art/tech/hacker/school/etc groups around Boston. She speaks passionately about her own work but is equally enthusiastic about other people and their projects. She has an attitude of collaboration and has already proven it through things like organizing a talk at Barcamp about hackergroups and spaces, collecting resources to share with dorkbot members, and evangelizing on behalf of what crazy things people are doing with electricity.

It’s great to have her on board! We’re already starting to work on the
next few dorkbot meetings, some dorkbot field trips, free workshops and lots of other strange activities to fill your summer.

With that being said: If you’re ever interested in helping organize dorkbot-boston or even just want to offer suggestions for speakers, venues, or activities, then the door is wide open for anyone willing to step up!