The first-ever Kerkrade Mini Maker Faire in the south of the Netherlands is set for this weekend, Sept. 7-8. The numbers of makers who responded to the call for makers was overwhelming and up to the very last moment new makers applied. With about 50 makers from all over the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and Luxemburg showing their stuff, we are over the moon with what’s in store for visitors. Here are some of the standouts:
Make your own Shrimpkey! That’s the name of the workshop Sjoerd Dirk Meijer will give at the Kerkrade Mini Maker Faire. Visitors can make their own Shrimpkey (MakeyMakey-substitute that Sjoerd developed), a small machine that makes all kinds of objects function as your keyboard. Play piano with potatoes or computer games with pineapples. It’s all possible with the Shrimpkey!
Yvon Masyn: Make your own hovercraft
Yvon will give a workshop on how to build small hovercrafts. With the help of an air cushion the hovercraft glides on a flat surface (also water). Although it looks like it, it’s not just an air cushion filled with air. What you see is a “skirt” that keeps the cushion together, but underneath it is open.
Bram de Vries and Reinder van Teijen
Bram and Reinder will demonstrate an innovative waste bin for elegant in-home trash separation. The SortBox, as it is called, is designed for self-replication. The SortBox invites every user to give workshops to multiply the SortBox with all its smart details such as the re-use shopping bags.
Bram de Vries works for Open 3D Engineering in Berlin and is engaged in open-source innovation and sustainable business development. Open 3D Engineering explores new applications for 3D printing like a little brush. These are made by printing an array of single plastic strings, which are bundled together.
The design group Demotech will also demonstrate its RopePump. The technologies developed by founder Reinder van Tijen strives for the highest functional qualities, are low to zero cost, and thus accessible to anyone, environmentally sound, meant to propel a sustainable local economy. The RopePump has found its way all over the world. It can be built for 10 euro or less by anyone. Materials needed are abundantly available in every corner of the globe. The tools needed are those that any farmer has.
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