Meet Zvika Markfeld. In MAKE Volume 28 Zvika wrote a how-to on making an Arduino-controlled Bubblebot that blows enormous, undulating soap bubbles.. To get to know Zvika a bit more, I asked him a few questions.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I live in Tel Aviv, Israel. Over the past 10+ years, I’ve been working as a software engineer/consultant. Recently, I decided to shift focus and this year I am starting to study industrial design at Israel’s Holon Institute of Technology. I am interested in gardening, guitar playing, yoga, cooking, cycling, programming, and of course, making.
Why do you like making things?
Because it frees me from manufacturers’ restrictions and considerations that are not suitable to my needs. But more than that, I see making as a way of exercising my personal freedom, to make things that I later use in a way that exactly fits my needs and purposes. Making also brings back the true value of things — I no longer have to buy overpriced merchandise just because it’s the only option. Making allows me to be creative in unique ways, and in today’s world, collaborating and brainstorming with others have never been easier, so it even allows me to create relationships with real people based on our ideas. I could go on… Making is a life philosophy just as much as it’s fun and a way of improving the world surrounding me.
Can you tell us something about the Gigantic Bubblebot project that you made for MAKE?
The Bubblebot, my first project published with MAKE, is really what started a big change in my life. I started it without knowing whether and how exactly it would come out and it has so far taken me to wonderful places, allowed me to meet great people, and motivated me to leave my day job as a software engineer and find my way in the new, exciting world of industrial design.
What kind of things do you dream of making?
(I try not to dream, instead, I plan…) I have many ideas, perhaps the one that currently excites me most is a “moon-gravitation” harness, which I intend to build and use for a range of urban/outdoor activities, such as climbing, assisted walking for disabled people, enhanced cycling in hard-to-cross terrains and more.
Can you tell us about one of your favorite tools?
Currently my favorite is an electric wire stripper that used to belong to my dad, may he rest in peace wherever he is. I like that tool in particular because of its precision and the clean work it does, but also because it reminds me of my dad, who was a great handyman and gave me the initial knowledge and attitude for tinkering. I am sorry he’s not with me today to see the things I’ve made over the past few years. I am sure he would have liked it.
See videos of Zvika’s other creations:
Rechargeable Hula Hoop with LEDs
Simon game
EMF detector
Preparing Stuffed Zucchinis with an Electric Drill
Audible Memory Chest
MAKE Volume 28, Toys & Games!
MAKE Volume 28 hits makers’ passion for play head-on with a 28-page special section devoted to Toys and Games, including a toy “pop-pop” steamboat made from a mint tin, an R/C helicopter eye-in-the-sky, and a classic video game console. You’ll also build a gravity-powered catapult, a plush toy that interacts with objects around it, and a machine that blows giant soap bubbles. Play time is a hallmark of more intelligent species– so go have some fun!
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