Announcements

Getting Started With .NET Gadgeteer Webcast From Author Simon Monk

Getting Started With .NET Gadgeteer Webcast From Author Simon Monk

If you like making things, then you will love .NET Gadgeteer. You can create many interesting projects by just plugging together components and writing a few lines of programming code. Check out this upcoming hands-on webcast presented by Simon Monk, author of Getting Started with .NET Gadgeteer: Thursday, November 8, 2012 (free registration).

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November is Paper Month!

November is Paper Month!

So long, October! Onward, now, into the eleventh month of our 2012 “Year of Materials” with a focus on paper. “Paper,” for those of you twelve and under, is a generally inexpensive, flexible, thin, sheet-like material made by pressing together moist fibers—commonly derived from plants—and allowing them to dry. “Plants” are living organisms, commonly green in color, with cellulose-containing cell walls, obtaining most of their energy through photosynth…

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Arduino-Controlled Robots Webcast With Author Michael Margolis

Arduino-Controlled Robots Webcast With Author Michael Margolis

Considering a robot for your next Arduino project? Even if you’re not, this free webcast with the author of the Arduino Cookbook will teach you plenty of practical information about controlling motors and using sensors with Arduino.

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The “Factory of the Future” is Here Today

The “Factory of the Future” is Here Today

Shapeways announces the opening of a Factory of the Future in Long Island City, Queens. And Mayor Bloomberg announces the launch of New York’s Next Top Makers competition.

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Reinventing Engineering Education in the 21st Century

Reinventing Engineering Education in the 21st Century

This Monday, October 15th from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, there will be a series of talks in NYC: Engineering graduate numbers have been flat for decades despite the rapid growth of technology from the iPad to Space Exploration. Just 11% of engineers are women, up to 50% of engineering students drop out due to […]

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Mayor Bloomberg Designates September 24-30 “Maker Week” in New York

Mayor Bloomberg Designates September 24-30 “Maker Week” in New York

World Maker Faire, the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth, and New York Hall of Science are proud to announce that Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Economic Development Corporation have proclaimed that the week of September 24–30 is “Maker Week”! In honor of the third annual World Maker Faire on September 29 […]

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Makey Awards 2012 Nominee 15, Rancilio Silvia Espresso Maker, Most Hackable Gadget

Makey Awards 2012 Nominee 15, Rancilio Silvia Espresso Maker, Most Hackable Gadget

There are a lot of reasons to love the Rancilio. It’s got a powerful pump to push water through densely packed, finely ground coffee. It’s made of chromed steel, and the boiler and portafilter are made of heavy marine-grade brass. And, for espresso hackers, the Silvia stands above other machines because it’s easy to modify. In many ways, it’s like a pre-1960 automobile. The electronics are simple, with no microchips, digital readouts, or transistors. The steel cover can be removed with an ordinary Phillips-head screwdriver. And once you take the cover off, you see that there’s plenty of room in there. It’s easy to access all the inner workings of the machine.

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