Inventors’ work shines at Mini Maker Faire
From soccer-playing robots to a laser maze and wearable technology, the Calgary Mini Maker Faire was humming with creations from local inventors this weekend.
More than 2,000 people turned out to Telus Spark to observe the variety of displays that were part of the fourth annual event.
“We’re really excited to invite over 70 artists, engineers, makers, technologists, weavers, different hobbyists from the maker movement to Telus Spark to share with our visitors,” said Melanie Hall, public programs manager with Telus Spark.
“We’re really excited about the innovation that goes on and the creativity that’s involved with some of the makers here, and we really want to be able to inspire people to do something similar with their lives.”
Hall noted the offerings range from “old-school makers” such as weavers, to some of the newest technologies.
Just inside the front entrance Sunday, a remote-controlled robot kicked a ball back and forth with two children. Grade 11 student Sav Sidorov, who is part of the group that built the robot, said the reaction has been “really great.”
“The majority of the time we spent passing the ball to little kids,” he said. “It’s just amazing to see their reactions and how excited they get about this sort of thing.”
Down the hall, Chris Czech was busy constructing a Swampdonkey guitar amplifier using vacuum tube technology. “It’s 1930s, ’40s and ’50s kind of tech, which is a little out of place here, but it’s still very valid,” he said.
At Colin Pischke’s booth, spectators could observe a 3-D printer creating a small blue creature.
Pischke said his company, Print Your Mind 3-D, is focused on using 3-D printers for good, such as working with prosthetics.
“We work with a global nonprofit called Enable, and Enable is groups of engineers and designers from around the world who collaborate to improve on the designs of the prosthetics, and then they match people in need with people who own 3-D printers,” he explained.
“They release the file to me. The same way you download a song from iTunes, I can download my prosthetic hand, drag and drop that into the software, hit print and about 24 hours later, I have a prosthetic hand.”
Next to a display of lit-up gowns and fashion items, Make Fashion co-founder and CEO Shannon Hoover explained the idea behind the company.
“All of the time I have people walking up to me saying that’s a really cool tie — tell me about it, where can I get one,” Hoover said, gesturing to his tie covered in colourful, changing screens.
“So it’s led to real human interaction and engagement, and I’ve come to realize that’s what fashion is. Fashion is about you wear something, it gives people a hint about who you are ... it allows people to interact more easily.”
Standing at a busy display, 11-year-old Lauren Voisin described the fog-filled laser maze she built with her sister and mother. The budding inventor has been a part of the Mini Maker Faire since it launched in Calgary.
“I just really like sharing my ideas with others and Maker Faire is a great place to do that,” she said. “It’s usually people that want to listen to stuff about technology, and that’s why I always come back.”