Looking for a student photographer to take pictures at Urbana-Champaign Mini Maker Faire on Saturday, April14. Job pays $100 honorarium. Send me a message if you are interested or spread the word if you know someone who might be interested.

via Facebook Pages http://www.facebook.com/pages/p/109193269160999

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We’re looking for a few good volunteers Friday night, April 13 for set up and all day Saturday, April 14. Are you available to help out? If so, comment or message us via the UC Maker Faire page and we will be in touch!

via Facebook Pages http://www.facebook.com/pages/p/109193269160999

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Arduino for Total Newbies Workshop – 3/3/2012 2-5pm @IMC

ArduinoForTotalNewbies

Contents

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Arduinos for Total Newbies:

Learn Arduino
using TV-B-Gone
as an example project

Abstract:

Happy total newbie hardware hackers learning Arduino

You’ve probably heard lots about Arduino. But if you don’t know what it is, or how you can use it to do all sorts of cool things, then this fun and easy workshop is for you. As an example project, we’ll be creating a TV-B-Gone remote control out of an Arduino you can take home with you.

This workshop will be given:
      2:00pm to 5pm on 3/3/2012 at the Independent Media Center, 202 S Broadway in downtown Urbana.

Limited to the first 50 people to show up! please arrive early!

Full Description:

Arduino is an amazingly powerful tool that is very simple to learn to use. It was designed so that artists and non-geeks can start from nothing, and make something cool happen in less than 90 minutes. Yet, it is powerful enough so that uber-geeks can use it for their projects as well.

This workshop is easy enough for total newbies to learn all you need to know to get going on an Arduino.

Taught by Mitch Altman. Participants will make their own Arduino clone, and set it up on solderless breadboards to make their own TV-B-Gone remote control to turn off TVs in public places — a fun way to learn Arduino (and electronics) basics. Bring your laptop, if you can.

Big thanks to Ken Shirriff, who came up with the original TV-B-Gone for Arduino.

Workshop Itinerary

  • We will start by learning to solder. Don’t let this scare you! I’ve taught well over 30,000 people to solder, most of whom have never made anything before in their lives. It is actually a very easy skill to learn. It is also very useful.

  • Then we will each make our own Arduino clone from a kit made by Ladyada: BoArduino.

  • Now that we each have our own Arduino, we will set up the free and open-source software on our laptops (if you bring one) — Windows, MacOS, or Linux are all fine!

  • And then its time to make something and learn how easy it is to use Aruino! You’ll put together your own TV-B-Gone remote control using your BoArduino. We will use a solderless breadboard. These are really useful, and provide a fast, and very easy way to put circuits together without needing to solder.

  • Target practice after the workshop is conveniently located across the street

Summary

What: Arduino workshop for newbies, using TV-B-Gone remote controls as an intro
When: This workshop will be on Saturday March 3, 2012 from 2-5pm.
Where: Independent Media Center, 202 S Broadway in downtown Urbana, 1st floor Sun Room
Who: Anyone and everyone can have fun learning Arduino. Ages 8 to 100
Cost: Instruction is free,
parts costs (if you want to make along with us and bring your Arduino TV-B-Gone home with you):
$35

Bring your laptop if you want to go home with the free Arduino software installed on it.
Arduino software runs on Windows, MacOS and Linux.

Links:

TV-B-Gone website
Ardiuno website
Ken Shirriff’s TV-B-Gone Arduino project page
Ladyada’s BoArduino page

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Arduino for Total Newbies with Mitch Altman

Mitch AltmanMitch Altman will be in Urbana for a Unit One residency in March, and will be coming to Makerspace Urbana for a couple events. We’re excited to announce that Mitch will teach a 3 hour workshop- Arduino for Total Newbies on Saturday March 3rd from 2-5pm at the Urbana Champaign Independent Media Center, 202 S. Broadway

Mitch has taught thousands of people to solder and make cool things with microcontrollers at his workshops at hacker spaces and hacker conferences and schools almost everywhere. He can teach you, too, if you like.

If you have ever had any curiosity about making something with electronics, then please join us. Anyone and everyone can learn to make cool things. And it’s fun. And easy! You can learn to make something cool with electronics in one workshop, and take your cool project home with you!

*Cost*: Instruction is Free! If you use any kits, $30 reimbursement for kit price is requested.

Space is limited! Reserve your spot today!

 

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Makerspace Urbana Help Desk in the news

Props go out to Brian Duggan of New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative! Great interview about Makerspace Urbana’s community help desk.

http://ifixit.org/1283/at-the-makerspace-urbana-help-desk-you-have-to-help-too/

http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/makerspace-urbana-help-desk-you-have-help-too.html

Get help at the Makerspace Community Help Desk, Sundays 2-4pm and Tuesdays 3-5pm, at Makerspace Urbana – 202 S Broadway suite 16, Urbana, IL

More info at http://help.ucimc.org

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Calling All Makers, Crafters, and Performers!

 

 

CMTK4Champaign Urbana Mini Maker Faire is happening soon (Saturday, April 14 to be exact) and we want you to be a maker!

Makers, performers, and crafters who have an awesome project or idea to share should fill out our simple online form and apply today!   We ask you a few questions about what you’d like to show at the Faire,your production needs, your contact info, etc.

The Call for Makers closes on March 20.

Check out the UC Mini Makerfaire website: http://ucmakerfaire.com

UC Mini Makerfaire 2011

What are we looking for?  Pretty much whatever you make or do that you’re passionate about, as long as it’s something you can share with others.  Maker Faire features a huge range of things:  robots and electronics projects, homesteading arts, kooky inventions, letterpress, screen printing, music making, crafts and hacks of all kind…  Anything Do-It-Yourself, and especially anything Do-It-Together.

Your Mini Maker Faire submission can be a display of something you’ve done, an activity or workshop you offer, a performance, or for a space to sell your finished work.  Take the leap, set yourself a deadline, and apply today!

Please help us spread the word to your friends, neighbors, enemies, and that girl who is always making sparks with her welding torch!

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