Presenting at Maker Faire 2016

Summary

I led a hands-on workshop at World Maker Faire - New York - 2016, October 1 and 2, at its regular home, the New York Hall of Science.

Title: "Free Hands-On Electronic Kit: Multi-LED Flashing Badge"

My co-workers and I handed out 140 kits. This was our third year of doing a workshop. This time, the workshop took place within my employer's exhibit space under the big white tent.

Background

I had a great experience leading a workshop at last year's World Maker Faire in the large workshop space inside the New York Hall of Science. I was hoping to do it again, in the same place.

Alas, it was not to be.

My application to World Maker Faire 2016 wasn't accepted (I guess the competition was fierce).

But a different path was presented, and with new challenges.

My employer was going to exhibit there again. They allowed me some space in the exhibit so participants could build the kit there. So, I did not need to get space from Maker Faire. GREAT! The downside was much less space was available - like only for four participants at a time. But as long as people waited their turn, we could serve folks all day.

At the same time, I wanted the kit to do more, with less work. The results needed to be more visual, more impressive than the one, flashing LED in last year's project. So more LEDs were needed! I needed a new circuit design.

Last year's project

Since this workshop was taking place at the exhibit, my employer wanted it have more "branding" - visible sign of who they are. I had to find some space somewhere on the finished product to put the company logo.

And finally, I had an "ah-hah" moment, when I found these metal tins with clear tops. They seemed perfect to produce this new project (whatever it would be)...

Round tin container with clear top

The clear plastic top lets the LEDs shine through, while protecting the circuit from rain (a lot of the Maker Faire is outdoors, and sometime it rains). And a secure top holds in any parts that might get loose. The metal is magnetic, allowing it to be held in place with a magnet.

The New Circuit

The new circuit for for the 2016 workshop event had to satisfy all of the above goals. Luckily, I already had a circuit that would do all that while fitting on the same solderless breadboard: Project 04: The Multi-LED Flasher.

Well I had to modify that circuit a little.

The big battery pack had to go - there was no room, and it was too heavy. Instead, I chose to power the circuit from a small, light, thin lithium coin cell (type CR2032). This coin cell provides exactly the same 3 volts as the double-AA cells.

More details about this circuit (as modified for the Maker Faire) will be in a new blog.

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The finished "Multi-LED Flashing Badge" looked like this:

For the branding, I printed the logo and tagline onto clear labels with a laser printer. We included a magnet with the kit so each kit-builder could wear the badge.

At some point, we ran out of those round metal tins. I already knew we wouldn't have enough to last the whole two days, so I also ordered these 2-inch square tins -- these fit the circuit even more snugly!