KiCad is the electronic design automation software that lives at the intersection of electronic design and open source software. It’s seen a huge push in development over the last few years which has grown the suite into a mountain of powerful tools. To help better navigate that mountain, the first ever KiCad conference, KiCon, is happening next week in Chicago and Hackaday is hosting one of the afterparties.
The two days of talks take place on April 26th and 27th covering a multitude of topics. KiCad’s project leader, Wayne Stambaugh, will discuss the state of the development effort. You’ll find talks on best practices for using the software as an individual and as a team, how to avoid common mistakes, and when you should actually try to use the auto-router. You can learn about automating your design process with programs that generate footprints, by connecting it through git, and through alternate user interfaces. KiCad has 3D modeling to make sure your boards will fit their intended enclosures and talks will cover generating models in FreeCAD and rendering designs in both Fusion360 and Blender. Dust off your dark arts with RF and microwave design tips as well as simulating KiCad circuits in SPICE. If you can do it in KiCad, you’ll learn about it at KiCon.
Of course there’s a ton of fun to be had as interesting hackers from all over the world come together in the Windy City. Hackaday’s own Anool Mahidharia and Kerry Scharfglass will be presenting talks, and Mike Szczys will be in the audience. We anticipate an excellent “lobby con” where the conversations away from the stages are as interesting as the formal talks. And of course there are afterparties!
- Friday 4/26 Pumping Station: One, the popular Chicago hackerspace now celebrating its 10 year anniversary, is hosting an afterparty (details TBA)
- Saturday 4/27: Hackaday is hosting an after party at Jefferson Tap from 6-8:30. We’re providing beverages and light food for all who attended the conference.
If you still don’t have a ticket to KiCon, you better get one right now. We’re told that you can count what’s left on two hands. Supplyframe (Hackaday’s parent company) is a sponsor of KiCon, and we have two extra tickets that came with that sponsorship. We like seeing a diverse community at these events and have saved these tickets for people from under-represented groups (such as for example women, LGBT+, and people of color) in the hardware world. Email us directly for the tickets, your information will remain confidential.
We’re looking forward to seeing everyone next week!
Shame I can’t attend, maybe next year. I’m especially interested in the FreeCAD stuff, will have to be on the lookout for the recordings!
Why did I read that,
“Come for the talks, stay for the pirates.”
B^)
“We like seeing a diverse community at these events and have saved these tickets for people from under-represented groups (such as for example women, LGBT+, and people of color) in the hardware world.”
Can’t wait for androids to be on that list.
I think that is covered under the “+”.
We also have Hardware Happy Hour (3H) Chicago on KiCon eve! https://www.meetup.com/Hardware-Happy-Hour-3H-Chicago/events/260730042/
We have collected all the social information on one page here: https://kicad-kicon.com/social/
Could you someone please explain me how this is an actual benefit for such communities? And
I believe it actually serve more disservice than good.
Giving special treatment for your sexuality in such event. It’s like spoiling a child, that child that never heard “no” in his life will have very difficult time once entered into the real world. So if you are gay, after couple events like this you go to a place and where they don’t have special tickets…
I get special treatment for disabled people that there is actual assistance needed in some cases, but even they can buy their tickets in time.
Gay people are not disabled, I am sure they can get their tickets in time.
Basically wanting to participate is not enough, you have to be wanted sexually.
I would get it if this is some sort of a swingers party in disguise, so you wanna make sure you have that ratio. But for KiCon the deciding factor for getting last ticket is your sexually is really disappointing.
Why it has to be sexuality that decides? There are so many other types of minority groups.