A few days ago we launched (no pun intended) Hackerspaces in Space: Year 2. HSIS (as we like to refer to it) is a challenge that we extend to other hackerspaces (and like-minded groups of people) to design, build and launch a weather balloon equipped with cameras to take photos at near-space altitudes. The HSIS website has all the rules regarding the contest which you can check out if you’re interested.
Last time we ran the challenge, we had a great response from the makerspace and hackerspace community. We’re hoping to make HSIS better this year. We want to use HSIS to promote science exploration and discovery in schools. We want to take whatever best designs come out of this year’s challenge and send kits based on the winning designs to schools, so that student can launch their own balloons to near-space.
To make that happen, we’ve set up a kickstarter project. (You may have seen the banner at the top of the page.) Take a look at some of the prizes we’re offering and consider becoming a backer to this project so that we can get kits into schools!
Also, we need your help spreading the word about HSIS. Please link to the page, tweet it, facebook it, retweet, upvote it on reddit, or just post it wherever you share your information online. We can’t make this happen without your help!
The public meeting schedule on our events page expired after last night’s meeting. It should now be up to date. Also, you can connect with us on meetup, if you prefer.
General meetings are always open to the public. We encourage everyone to bring ideas to improve Workshop 88. If you can’t make it to the meeting but still want to share your ideas, just email info@workshop88.com and we’ll be happy to bring it to the table for you. Hope to see you all there!
Feel free to come early to the meetings. We run the “business” meeting from 6:30pm to just before 7:30pm, then we break off and dive into whatever interesting projects people are working on.
Workshop 88 is offering our introduction to the Arduino platform at our new space in Glen Ellyn. Class attendees will learn how to configure their arduino programming environment, how to design simple circuits for interfacing with the arduino and how to write simple programs to control the arduino. What is Arduino, you ask? From their home page:
Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.
You can order Arduino systems from several places, including Adafruit and Sparkfun. Both companies have lots of tutorials and howtos to get you started with Arduinos. If you choose the tuition + materials option, we will have an arduino and assortment of electronics components for you to take home after the class.
You should bring: a laptop with the Arduino environment installed.
Please contact us (info@workshop88.com) if you have any questions.
Workshop 88 member Fredo, who records his podcasts at Workshop 88 is looking for participation in his upcoming podcast. Here’s his idea, in his own words:
Hi guys, as some of you know I do a weekly movie podcast called Film Yarn.
I want to try something, it’s short notice but I think it will work. I want you to call the Film Yarn line and tell us what movie you watched during the incessant covering of 9/11 to escape or help you conceptualize the new reality. It could be emotional or funny, I just want to know what you watched while the news were going 24/7 and there was nothing else on TV.
Please introduce yourself and then tell us what you watched and why. (931) 516 9276. The phone is a google voice mailbox.
Responses will be stitched together in an episode by Saturday, and published Sunday. I’ll add a commentary to the beginning of the show and reveal what movie I watched.
Please repost and forward as you see fit. I want as many varied opinions on the matter as possible.
For more on the podcast the URL is http://filmyarn.com/
Fredo.
Workshop 88 is thrilled to be offering an introduction to the Arduino platform at our space in Glen Ellyn. Class attendees will learn how to configure their arduino programming environment, how to design simple circuits for interfacing with the arduino and how to write simple programs to control the arduino. What is Arduino, you ask? From their home page:
Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.
You can order Arduino systems from several places, including Adafruit and Sparkfun. Both companies have lots of tutorials and howtos to get you started with Arduinos. If you choose the tuition + materials option, we will have an arduino and assortment of electronics components for you to take home after the class.
