Hackerspace Competition: Looks Promising

This is what happens when [Mitch Altman] comes together with hackerspaces nationwide to have a contest. In short, 5 hackerspaces  will “take on the machine” and come up with 5 original ideas for existing devices. There are a few more rules, but you can catch them in the video in the link above. There is hinting at a slot machine that mixes drinks, a bike that makes ice cream, and more. What do you guys think is in store?

This is also a great opportunity to mention the hackerspaces wiki, find a community (or start one!) near you today and maybe [Mitch] will call on your hackerspace next competition. For now, we’ll keep you up to date with each hackerspace’s project and progress.

[Thanks Deven]

The spaces in question, for those that would like a link to check them out:

NYC Resistor

Artisan’s Asylum

Pumping Station: One

The Transistor

Crash Space

18 thoughts on “Hackerspace Competition: Looks Promising

  1. @xeracy see if a local (community) college would help you out. Maybe make it an “official” class where attendees just pay the minimum credits to have a (sciences) teacher babysit the group? Not all classrooms/studios are occupied all day.

  2. “and I wouldn’t want to charge dues.”

    That is kind of the issue with the one “near” me, its over an hour away they have a up front membership charge and monthly dues

    which they say is fair, and really it is a fair price but its not something I would run to on my lunch break or hang out at multiple evenings a week so its a breaker for me

  3. A bicycle that makes ice cream? A local bike co-op here in Baltimore has bikes with blenders that make smoothies. They set up at farmer’s markets and you can have one made or “pedal your own”. Easy to convert to an ice cream maker.

  4. @xeracy – Unfortunately, making a hackerspace that’s both awesome and useful typically requires a fair amount of money. You want space for people to work on projects, space (and money) for machining/fabrication tools, you probably want internet access, you need to pay for utilities and taxes too (particularly if you teach classes to raise money).

    Our local space, in addition to being full of pretty cool people, is a pretty good deal financially compared to owning your own machine shop, laser cutter, 3D printer, etc.

  5. There’s a bike powered smoothy maker out in Hana, HI too. By necessity – there is no power there. Oh and its a DIY smoothy too. You want one, you ride the bike. Come check it out.

    And yeah, we’d all like free access to tens of thousands of dollars of cool high tech equipment and parts. TANSTAAFL

  6. Mitch is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. And he’s pretty much dedicated the last few years of his life to bouncing around the planet convincing people that electronics are fun and totally easy to get into.

    He is from SF though, so that’s probably the whole hair origin.

    That being said… GO NYC RESISTOR!

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