This Week in Making: Halloween Prep and World Maker Faire

Is the maker movement actually a movement? We sometimes take the language we use to describe the groups of doers, tinkerers, and builders of things for granted, but does the maker movement really hold its ground among social movements that have historically fought to preserve rights or promote cultural change for the better? What do you think?

“The idea is just starting in science that robots can be something without wires and batteries and motors,” said Mikolaj Rogoz, a researcher in the Photonic Nanostructure Facility at the university’s Institute of Experimental Physics. “It can be just fragments of plastic and energy, and the energy source can be provided from outside the robot.” The New York Times writes about Rogoz’s latest innovation, plastic that can move without traditional mechatronics.

Highlights from Maker Faire

World Maker Faire New York started officially on Saturday. Leading up to the event we made up a list of 22 reasons to get excited to go to World Maker Faire, and so far we haven’t been disappointed.

Halloween Prep 2016

Watch a master sculpt a monster fit for a horrifying Halloween mask.

Even candy can wear a costume. This white chocolate makes a convincing jug of milk (though it’s not nearly so wholesome!).

There’s nothing wrong with string lights and carved gourds for your Halloween display, but that doesn’t mean you can’t kick it up a notch with automated lights, sounds, and motion.

Embody your inner warrior this Halloween, and create a battle axe from MDF and PVC.

Transform some dollar store items into a cute jack-o’-lantern centerpiece. It’s not witchcraft… just craft-craft.

Contest time!! Halloween may be right around the corner, but we’re still having nightmares from last year. Show us what YOU created last Halloween. The 5 posts with the most likes will receive a free copy of our special Make: Magazine Halloween issue filled with a ton of ideas – from costumes and make-up to haunted house projects. Rules: 1. Post a photo of a project from a past Halloween 2. Tag post with @makemagazine #MakeHalloween #Halloween 3. Get your friends to like your post 4. Winners will be selected based on the number of likes your post receives. 5. The project you post must have been created by you or your family (honor system!). What should you post? A costume, decoration, gadget, anything you made for a past Halloween. Contest ends Sunday, October 2 at 11:59pm PT. Winners announced Monday, October 3. No purchase necessary. Must be 18 years or older. Limit one prize per person. Prize retail value is $7.99 plus standard shipping costs. View prize: http://bit.ly/2duLcFP

A photo posted by Make: (@makemagazine) on Sep 27, 2016 at 12:35pm PDT

We announced our first Instagram contest. It’s not too late to join in, but be quick! Contest closes at Oct 2, 11:59 pm PST.

Not enough Halloween content for you? Check out our Halloween tag, or pick up a copy of Make:’s Halloween issue.