Blog from the Sea of Cortez: Useful Science?
In what ways can citizen explorers be useful for science? The tools are getting better, but the methods and techniques aren’t as clear.
Science
DIY science is the perfect way to use your creative skills and learn something new. With the right supplies, some determination, and a curious mind, you can create amazing experiments that open up a whole world of possibilities. At home-made laboratories or tech workshops, makers from all backgrounds can explore new ideas by finding ways to study their environment in novel ways – allowing them to make breathtaking discoveries!
Maker (and Budget) Friendly Holiday Gifts Under $25
Let’s face it. The holidays are expensive. But fear not. We challenged our staff to come up with ideas for maker-friendly gifts that won’t break your holiday budget.
inForm: An Ephemeral Construction Machine
Disruptive or revolutionary technology are terms that get tossed around rather liberally. But one look at the MIT Media Lab’s inForm project and it’s hard not think you are looking at the future. Combining elements of Kinect, 3D printing, and telepresence, inForm heralds something very new and, I dare say, revolutionary. inForm was a collaboration between research assistant Sean Follmer and Daniel Leithinger at Heroshi Ishii’s Tangible Media Group in the MIT Media Lab. What exactly is it and how might it be used? Jay Silver interviewed Sean Follmer to learn more.
Citizen Exploration: An Amateur Revolution
It’s always been the rule benders and breakers who push the boundaries of possibility. And the current surge of amateurism is particularly exciting. It’s moving from an amateur tradition to a full-on amateur revolution.
Making a Wave Energy Converter Part 3: The Design, Before the Final Design
After investigative research, our team had broken down the wave energy converter (WEC) into five major subsystems: buoy, hydraulics, electronics, spar, and heave plate.
Projects With Ryan Slaugh: Helpful Circuits
In this video, I will show you a few of my most used helpful circuits. They involve using the 555 timer and the Operational Amplifier.
Alternative Energy Kits: New in the Maker Shed
I’ve been fascinated by Stirling and other heat based engines as long as I can remember, which is why I’m excited to announce that these educational alternative energy kits from Exergia are now available in the Maker Shed.