Jake Ketchum‘s Automatic Media Deactivation System attaches to a standard power strip and shuts off all power to a room’s electronics when its smart sensor detects that a person is no longer in the room. When someone re-enters, the system is switched back on. He demonstrated his invention at Maker Faire Bay Area 2011.
At Maker Faire Bay Area 2011, Ben demonstrates PhoneSat, a project in conjunction with NASA done to prove that a cellphone can serve as a viable CPU in an orbital satellite. The Nexus One on board uses the Android OS and is monitored by an Arduino that also serves as a rebooting device.
John Guy’s Rocking Horse Bike has a single horn and is inspired by Charlie the Unicorn. A galloping motion is created by the assymetrical mounting of the wheels, which John demonstrated at Maker Faire Bay Area 2011.
Artist Benjamin Carpenter explores interactions between systems in his mechanical kinetic sculpture “Higher”. At Maker Faire Bay Area 2011 he demonstrates the work, consisting of 3 vertically oscillating eyeballs atop springs. The movement is controlled by a single button the user presses which activates the piece’s mechanism.
With over 200,000 views, Hayden Parker’s YouTube channel has become a popular spot for watching home chemistry demonstrations. Hayden took his show on the road to Maker Faire Bay Area 2011, where he set up a basic chemistry lab, teaching the science of chemistry and wowing passerby with seemingly magic color-changing chemical reactions.
The Bay Area Lego Users Group builds creations of every size and type imaginable, exclusively using Lego blocks. From entire neighborhoods of buildings, to a scale reproduction of the battleship Yamato, they had plenty on hand to show at Maker Faire Bay Area 2011. At their meetings they often have competitions to test their building prowess, in events such as coaster cars and structural stability on their very own “earthquake table.”
Fun Bike Unicorn Club – Todd Barricklow , through the Fun Bike Unicorn Club, works metal into unique pedal-powered vehicles. His designs often start from just a sketch, and completed through a process of trial-and-error. He came to Maker Faire Bay Area 2011 to ride his creations.
