Darkbot/SoutHACKton Meeting, 9th of March

Posted on February 28, 2011 by theuncommon

Thanks to the powerful organisational skills of Phased / Ben we’ll be taming up with the local Dorkbot group to have a big meetup at the Arthouse Cafe in Southampton.

Makers, hackers, tinkerers. Lend me your microphones :O) …

Following much consultation, the next Southackton meeting shall be 9th March at Art House Southampton. Aim is to start at 7.30pm.

We will unite with the Dorkbots, sharing their March meeting, to create a union of Dorks and Hackers, possibly for one night only but hopefully a continuing unity will emerge in the form of Harks or Dockers :O)

Please try to get there a little early, to have time to grab coffees and cakes, as that will be the primary method of funding the “hire” of the venue / it’s continued existence.

As suggested, it will be a combined Duino and Teardown (http://groups.google.com/group/southackton/browse_thread/thread/bfff4bf5e88785a3) event.

Please bring along anything you have created using the Duino platforms and anything you fancy Tearing Down.

Please feel free to share designs / code / links for your Duino creations on our Google group beforehand, so those attending have an opportunity to discuss more deeply during the event.

We will aim to leave a 15-20 minute period near the end for sharing of your unwanted bits from the Teardowns and discussion on future plans for Southackton.

Look forward to seeing you all there.

Phased / Ben

For those that have not visited before, Art House Southampton is located here :

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=ubuntu&channel=cs&ie=UTF8&q=art+house+southampton&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=art+house&hnear=Southampton&cid=0,0,3323037071216817675&ll=50.908959,-1.40449&spn=0.0087,0.022852&z=16

More details on Art House Southampton here : http://www.thearthousesouthampton.co.uk

We’ve also got an event up on Eventful: http://eventful.com/southampton/events/hackspacedorkbot-meetup-/E0-001-037303575-4

Hope to see you all there.

theUncommon / Adam

Meetup: Mitch Altman – How To Make Cool Things With Microcontrollers

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Benjie

Saturday 20th March 13:00 to 17:00 at SteamShift HQ, 1 Derby Road, Eastleigh, SO50 5QD.

Mitch Altman, well known for making TV-B-Gone (a keychain that turns off TVs in public places), and also the co-founder of Noisebridge, a really cool San Francisco hackerspace, is coming to Southampton to teach you How To Make Cool Things with Microcontrollers! In Mitch’s words:

You do not need any tools, or any experience to come to the workshop.

The workshop is free (including our time) — we do this because we love teaching people to make things. We ask to be reimbursed for any parts you use from us. Cost of the parts is between £5 and £20, depending on the project. It is totally fine to bring your own parts and projects for the workshop.

Here is a list of projects that I’ll be bringing; I’ve included the prices for the parts:

Mignonette Game kit @ £20 each
– a way fun, way low-resolution hand-held computer console that you can use to create your own games

Trippy RGB Waves kit @ £5 each
– waves of colors follow your hand as you wave it over these

TV-B-Gone kit @ £15 each
– turn off TVs in public places from up to 50 meter away!

USBtinyISP kit @ £15 each
– a programmer for AVR microcontrollers

MiniPOV3 kit @ £15 each
– display messages of your choice through the air you wave this through

Brain Machine @ £15 each
– hallucinate beautiful colors and patterns while you drift off into fabulous meditation

MintyBoost kit @ £15 each
– with 2 AA batteries you can charge anything with a USB charging input (such as an iPhone)

Drawdio @£15 each
– fun and annoying noiseamaker that changes noise as you draw on paper

LEDcube @ £15 each
– 3x3x3 cube of LEDs with animated sequence

DC BoArduino kit @ £15 each
– Arduino clone kit

FTDI cable @ £15 each
– this is not a kit — it is required to communicate with the BoArduino (and many other open-source projects)

TripGlasses @ £25 each
– this is not a kit — it is a ready-made version of the Brain Machine (hallucinate beautiful colors and patterns while meditating!)

EU TV-B-Gone @ £15 each
– this is not a kit — it is the ready-made keychain to turn off TVs in public places (with a stealthy batman-like look)

NA TV-B-Gone Pro SHP @ £30 each
– this is not a kit — it is a ready-made version, the size of an mp3 player, that turns off TVs in public from up to 150 meter away! One model for the entire world! Comes with built-in rechargeable batteries and a charger

Info on most of the above is available on my website: http://www.CornfieldElectronics.com “maker faire” tab

Jimmie will be bringing Open Heart kits, LOL Shield kits, Atari Punk Console kits, and some cool circuit bending stuff. Jimmie’s website gives more info on his projects that he’ll be bringing: http://jimmieprodgers.com/

More details can be found on the groups – please let us know if you intend to attend.

Hack Day 1 – Meetup

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Benjie

: Image via Wikipedia

Sunday 4th October 2009, 10:30am-6:30pm, Steamshift HQ

As the Arduino meeting was such a success, we’ve already booked our next meetup – a Hack Day – again kindly hosted by Steamshift at their HQ in Eastleigh.

What is a Hack Day?

It’s a day where everyone brings along their current projects (if any) and can work on them in the presence of other like-minded individuals. Just starting out with Arduino? Putting the finishing touches on your latest life-size robot? Planning to build a water jet-pack? Hacking electronics into clothing? Hacking together the components necessary to make a new GNU/Linux distro or media centre software? Join us!

What if I don’t have a current project?

Come along anyway – help with someone else’s! Skilled or unskilled, knowledgeable or not-so-knowledgeable, all are welcome!

Why is it so long?

The idea is that people can turn up when they want for however long they want – pop in for just a couple of hours or come for the whole day – it’s completely up to you! We anticipate that the busiest time will be 12:30 until 4:30.

Why so early? (Also: what about lunch?)

We thought it would be nice to have lunch together (at around 1pm, though the timing is up to the individual) – some of us will probably order pizza, others may bring lunch with them. However, we didn’t want to cut into two meal times so we’ve aimed for “after breakfast and before dinner.” Everyone is responsible for bringing/ordering their own food and drink.

Where do I sign up?

This will be another free (no cost) day, all you need to do is turn up. We like to know how many people are coming though, so please join the Google Group and drop a short message in this thread.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

This event is kindly hosted by Steamshift.

Steamshift develops creative solutions to technical challenges primarily in the fields of web application development, flash AS3 programming and linux hosting. They work closely with their design and branding partners to deliver an end-to-end solution.

Introduction To Arduino – Meeting

Posted on July 29, 2009 by Benjie

: Image by todbot via Flickr

Saturday 29th August 2009, 2pm, Steamshift HQ

Steamshift have kindly offered to host our next meeting which is targetted at introducing us to the Arduino and similar development boards.

No prior knowledge is necessary, but if you already have an Arduino/Freeduino/PICAXE/etc board, please feel free to bring it along, and if you like you can even teach the rest of us about it. Andy from Steamshift will be bringing a number with him, and there are a number of people on the groups who will be bringing theirs too.

I don’t feel knowledgeable enough to tell you much about Arduino, so instead, I suggest you go to Wikipedia, or the Arduino website:

Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.

Arduino can sense the environment by receiving input from a variety of sensors and can affect its surroundings by controlling lights, motors, and other actuators. The microcontroller on the board is programmed using the Arduino programming language (based on Wiring) and the Arduino development environment (based on Processing). Arduino projects can be stand-alone or they can communicate with software on running on a computer (e.g. Flash, Processing, MaxMSP).

The boards can be built by hand or purchased preassembled; the software can be downloaded for free. The hardware reference designs (CAD files) are available under an open-source license, you are free to adapt them to your needs.

Arduino received an Honory Mention in the Digital Communities section of the 2006 Ars Electronica Prix.

Please, if you have any friends who you think might be interested, spread the word! Arduino is a very flexible platform and can be used for hardware hacking, home automation, robotics, and millions of other things.

Bring as much of the following as you can (all are totally OPTIONAL):

Laptop with a free USB port
Arduino/Freeduino/PICAXE/etc boards (I suggest marking them in some way so they don’t get mixed up!)
Components: breadboards, LEDs, resistors, capacitors, Arduino shields, light dependant resistors, proximity sensors, speakers, buzzers, switches, …
Cash (in case a quick trip to Maplin might be required, or in case you want to buy an Arduino board/some components off of someone else)
Camera/camcorder to document the day!

If you can make it, please let us know in the group or by commenting on this post so we know how many people to expect.

My thanks go out again to the guys at Steamshift, especially Andy, for making this next meetup possible:

Join us on Sunday – Musical Circuit Bending

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Benjie

: Image by Nortis via Flickr

Sunday 28th June, 3pm

I’ll be hosting the event at my flat, the address is on this page (members only – it only takes a moment to become a member).

If you’re coming, please comment on this post/post a message to groups/email me so I know how many people to expect.

ABSOLUTELY NO KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED. Fun for all the family!

Come and make some noise and eat some pizza with us! Just go down to your local charity shop/poundland/etc and buy some very cheap noise producing electronics (such as press and talk/ speak and spell/ my first electric keyboard/etc) and bring them along. Your task will be to expose the electronics and see what noises you can make by shorting connectors with your wet finger. “Lick it and see!” The coolest noises/tunes from the cheapest electronics win. Strictly battery powered devices only. (I’d recommend buying a few devices as some will be more hackable than others.)

Looking forward to seeing you!

Circuit Bending Evening

Posted on June 13, 2009 by Benjie

: Image by farnea via Flickr

ABSOLUTELY NO KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED. Fun for all the family!

Come and make some noise and eat some pizza with us! Just go down to your local charity shop/poundland/etc and buy some very cheap noise producing electronics (such as press and talk/ speak and spell/ my first electric keyboard/etc) and bring them along. Your task will be to expose the electronics and see what noises you can make by shorting connectors with your wet finger. “Lick it and see!” The coolest noises/tunes from the cheapest electronics win. Strictly battery powered devices only.

When are you free during 28th June – 7th July? Please fill out your availability on Doodle – its very simple and no registration required. (Just enter your name and tick the boxes.)

http://doodle.com/33wnk67nmzz9x8ds

Please enter your availability as soon as you can and tell your friends!

Documentary about hardware hackers (boingboing.net)
Flashback: Circuit Bending (makezine.com)

SoutHACKton

Hacking the world better

Category Archives: Workshop

Meetup: Mitch Altman – How To Make Cool Things With Microcontrollers

Saturday 20th March 13:00 to 17:00 at SteamShift HQ, 1 Derby Road, Eastleigh, SO50 5QD.

Hack Day 1 – Meetup