To the mooooooon! 100,000-Foot Launch Attempt Scheduled Saturday 1PM @Makerfairenc

The Citizen Scientists with NC Near Space are at it again.  This time the payload is bigger, faster, stronger, and cooler.  In years past the team has launched and succesfully retrieved payloads to extremely high altitudes from Maker Faire North Carolina.

This year, at 1:00PM, the team will launch a payload from Maker Faire North Carolina that includes amateur TV transmission and a very sophisticated camera payload.  Drop by their booth all day to learn about the science of launch and retrieval, amateur radio, and more.  You too can learn how to get pictures like this!

Photon the Video Photo Robot Programmed for EV^H^H GOOD!

Maker Extraordinaire Dean "Dino" Segovis has been building something special for Maker Faire North Carolina: Photon the Video Photo Robot!  Lovingly created thanks to days of blood, sweat, and tears, Photon is a real accomplishment.  Photon is a roving robot that will capture both video and still photos as it cruises around interacting with people... and it will speak!  Photon will be Live Streaming via Ustream!

Let's do stats: Photon's got an Arduino "brain", four touch sensors at the base, Canon HFR300 recording HD video and stills, JVC GZ-MS110 recording 720p video, GoPro Hero recording video, Motorola Triumph smartphone streaming video to Dino's display booth via WiFi, Motorola Droid Razr HD smartphone streaming live video to Ustream.

All of the MFNC staff have been eagerly watching Photon's construction process on Dino's Hack-a-Week TV channel on YouTube.  Hearing Photon sing "Daisy Bell" (famously sung by HAL 9000 in 2001:A Space Odyssey) was simultaneously amazing and terrifying!  Subscribe to Dino's channel and revel in the enthusiasm and creativity!

Photon is just one of hundreds of spectacular projects that will be at Maker Faire North Carolina on Saturday, June 15th.  Don't miss this super-fun and super-creative event!

See ya real soon!

Jon Danforth &
The Maker Faire:NC Team

NC Maker Launches Kickstarter Campaign

Our friend and exhibitor, Mark Plaga, has launched a Kickstarter campaign for his Blocklets project.  Have a look at his cool building toy and support a North Carolina Maker!

Spoonflower

Welcome Spoonflower – Maker Faire NC 2011’s newest sponsor! For those who attended last year’s Maker Faire NC, you may remember Spoonflower’s exhibit of custom printed textiles and fabrics – and for first time attendee’s, they will have an exhibit this year as well!

The Spoonflower marketplace offers the largest collection of independent fabric designers in the world and their community has now reached over 70,000 members. They have also been featured in the New York Times, Vogue and numerous other publications such as Craft and Make. This video highlights the start of Spoonflower and how they are bringing the concept of custom digital textile printing mainstream. Check it out and stop by their exhibit this coming June!