Robots Past and Present

Robotics
Robots Past and Present
blacklabelrobots1
Ricardo Cid’s Concerto for Robots

Robots have been part of MAKE and Maker Faire from the very beginning. Check out this selection of robotic creations from Maker Faire 2008 through today. The last two videos are of makers who will be at World Maker Faire 2013 in New York. If you like what you see, come out and see them for yourselves.

Yesterday…

Maker Faire 2008 – Robots!

Robots! Robots! People from all over the world came to experience the fun and excitement at the 2008 Maker Faire in California.

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Here is just some of the amazing robot action we encountered.

Electric Giraffe – Lindsay Lawlor

Lindsay once attended Burning Man in a full-sized Giraffe suit, until one day a friend of his suggested he build a mechanical giraffe from metal, electronics, and a slew of flashing LED lights.

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Filmed at Maker Faire Bay Area 2011.

Simple Bots – Randy Sarafan

Randy started Simple Bots on a bet. A coworker wanted a simple introduction to robotics, so Randy set out to prove that he could build a functioning robot in ten minutes. T

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his was the impetus for a family of bots shown at Maker Faire Bay Area 2011 that can be easily made from a variety of parts that are on hand for the average DIY enthusiast.

R2D2 – Steve Simmons

The R2D2 Builder’s Club brings one of the world’s most beloved fictional robots to life.

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Steve Simmons and his hobby roboticist club use fabrication, programming, and remote controls to build exact replicas of R2D2. Their R2’s are quirky friends who roamed Maker Faire Bay Area 2011 delighting everyone they encountered.

Solar Electric Robot Chariot – Grant Grundler

Machinist Bob Schneeveis made the Solar Electric Robot Chariot. Powered by the sun, the chariot is pulled by an anatomic machine that walks on wheels to lengthen its stride.

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Machined almost completely out of metal, the mechanics of this art car were driven by Grant Grundler at Maker Faire Bay Area 2011.

And Today…

Concerto for Robots – Ricardo Cid, Black Label Robot Studio

Born in México City, Ricardo is an engineer, artist and designer who creates art informed by his ability to interpret complicated ideas into unique visual forms. Ricardo works on his projects at his own Black Label Robot Studio.

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Come to World Maker Faire in New York to see Ricardo’s singular vision brought to life through a kinetic sculpture where geometric robotic forms dance to music with movement choreographed in computer code.

Walter II – Chris the Carpenter, Rocket Brand Studios

Chris the Carpenter, long-time member of Let’s Make Robots and founder of Rocket Brand Studios presents what I describe as a masterpiece of machining. Chris not only designed and built Walter II, he designed and built all the tools he used to make him. For a self-named carpenter, Chris has some pretty amazing metal working skills.

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You can come and see Walter II at the Let’s Make Robots table at World Maker Faire in New York.

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Andrew Terranova is an electrical engineer, writer and author of How Things Are Made: From Automobiles to Zippers. Andrew is also an electronics and robotics enthusiast and has created and curated robotics exhibits for the Children's Museum of Somerset County, NJ and taught robotics classes for the Kaleidoscope Enrichment in Blairstown, NJ and for a public primary school. Andrew is always looking for ways to engage makers and educators.

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