BCNM Faculty and Students Represent UCB at National Makers Faire
The inaugural National Makers Faire took place June 12th-13th, 2015, with makers from across the United States convening in Washington, DC to celebrate inventors and tinkerers of all ages. Eric Paulos and Björn Hartmann, along with graduate students Valkyrie Savage and Joanne Lo, traveled to DC with six students from their spring Critical Making and Interactive Seating courses, thanks to support from the National Science Foundation and the Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation. Both courses focus on hands-on design and are held in the CITRIS Invention Lab.
Some of the great research on show included: SKRT, a wearable electronic piece that responds to the proximity of others thereby critiquing notions of personal space, HugWear, plushy wearables for comforting kids, and Skintillate, a wearable tech tattoo. Skintillate, a collaboration between Eric, Joanne and undergraduate Doris Jung-Lin Lee was recognized with a Maker of Merit Award for its novel techniques in designing interactive electronic tattoos! The research at the heart of this project is under review for the upcoming ACM UIST conference.
From the organizers: Maker Faire is primarily designed to be forward-looking, showcasing makers who are exploring new forms and new technologies. But it’s not just for the novel in technical fields; Maker Faire features innovation and experimentation across the spectrum of science, engineering, art, performance and craft. Participating federal agencies include the Department of Education, National Science Foundation, U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Small Business Administration, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NASA, Corporation for National and Community Service, Department of Homeland Security and the Smithsonian Institution.
For more information about Berkeley participation, visit: http://engineering.berkeley.edu/2015/06/happy-national-week-making
Check out our photos below!