Categories
Events Workshop

Arduino Workshop

arduinoworkshop

This workshop is for anyone who has never played around with Arduino before and those who have played around a little bit but aren’t entirely sure about how the basics work. It’s easier than you think!

We will put together basic single component electrical circuits, learn about analog and digital, input and output, basic programming concepts, practice very basic Serial communication, and briefly cover basic virtual prototyping.

In case you haven’t noticed the key word here is “basic.”

Students will create three simple circuits highlighting analog and digital forms of input and output. Get started with the Arduino programming environment; briefly discuss programming and virtual prototyping.

Concepts that will be covered include:

  • Using a breadboard
  • Ohm’s Law
  • Digital and Analog
  • Input and Output
  • Arduino programming environment basics
  • Serial Monitor usage with text, variables and pin states

The $99 workshop fee includes a Sparkfun Inventor’s Kit students get to take home afterward; the kit normally sells online for $99.95.  Members of Lowell Makes may participate in the workshop for $75.

To ensure adequate instructor-student engagement, this workshop is limited to 12 students.  Please register using the form below.

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Categories
Events Holiday Party

Holiday “Tool-Luck” Party

Thursday, December 12, 2013
7:00-9:00 PM

47 Lee Street
Lowell MA 01852

Please join us for our holiday “Tool-Luck” where guests are invited to bring a new or used tool of to donate to Lowell Makes to make them available to our growing family of makers.

If you haven’t been down to Lowell Makes recently, you are in for a real surprise. Each new member is not only helping us grow, but also putting their unique stamp on how things look and work.

We’ll have refreshments and music, and you’ll see highlights of our growth through events like painting parties and our grand opening hackathon.

We look forward to seeing you Thursday!

Cheers,
John, Eric & Kamal

Categories
Annoucements

Open For Business

After months of hard work, Lowell Makes is open for business.

We had our floor professionally ground and polished, and with help of awesome volunteers, we repaired and painted the walls and floor.  Machines have been donated or loaned to us.  Countless other things got done by many enthusiastic supporters.

On November 1, 2013 we had our formal grand opening with approximately 40 people in attendance.  Remarks were made by city and state officials prior to the ribbon cutting:

  • Helena Fruscio – Creative Industry Director for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
  • Adam Baacke – City of Lowell Assistant City Manager
  • Patrick Murphy – City of Lowell Mayor and City Councilor
Ribbon cutting
Photo by Jennifer Myers

The event had many pieces of equipment on display, and demonstrations of electronics, and a version of the Epilog laser engraver and cutter we will be ordering.

Laser engraver-cutter demonstration
Photo by Jennifer Myers

Please join now as an early member of Lowell Makes – check out the options.  Early members with a monthly or annual membership will be given free or steeply discounted membership months to reward them for their vision and support.  Early members are provided with a key to Lowell Makes until we install our card access system in exchange for helping open the place for visitors, classes and demonstrations.

Artisans and entrepreneurs are talking to us about dedicated space at Lowell makes – let us know if you could use some dedicated space.  One thing that really helps sustain and grow a makerspace is having a community of resident makers who help fill the place with creative energy.

If you are interested in volunteering or dedicated space, please email us at info [at] lowellmakes [dot] com.

Categories
Hackathon

Grand Opening Hackathon

Lowell Makes is holding our grand opening Friday November 1, 2013 at 10AM and to kick things off properly we will be holding a 24 hour hackathon the next day.  Details below:

ABOUT THE CHALLENGE

Nov 2 – 3, 2013 (view all dates)

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make something that does anything, or anything that does something, from scratch—in 24 hours.

This 24-hour hackathon is from 12:00 PM on November 2nd to 12:00 PM on November 3rd.

It will take place at:
Lowell Makes
47 Lee St
Lowell MA 01852

It could be an artistic piece which moves or interacts with its surrounding in some way, it could be a robot or automated pet feeder, some electronic gadget built around an Arduino, it could be software, or it could be any combination of any of those things or whatever else you imagine. The one thing your creation is not allowed to do, however, is…do nothing.

Be prepared to explain the inspiration and techniques behind your creation to people who come by while you’re making it, and during the judging and observation period after the hackathon.

PRIZES

First Place
$500
A $500 check

Second Place
$250
A $250 check

Third Place
$100
A $100 check

Runner Up (3)
$50
A $50 check

ELIGIBILITY

Any individual or team may participate in this hackathon. Everyone must be at least 18 years of age or have a parent or legal guardian present who will be responsible for them during the hackathon. All participant and parents/guardians must sign liability waivers and acknowledgement of Lowell Makes’ Code of Conduct and Safety Rules.

REQUIREMENTS

All creations must do something, and must have been built at Lowell Makes. Creations must be functional, but may be physical, digital, electronic/electromechanical or be in any other form. Software, apps and embeded code running on hardware qualifies.

All submissions must be completed within the 24-hour period of the hackathon and entrants must be present at the end of the hackathon during the judging and observation period.

Categories
Annoucements Events Meeting

Public Meeting

Lowell Makes’ first public meeting was held on March 20, 2013 and was a huge success with a standing-room-only crowd filling the LTC gallery.

We will announce our next public meeting soon on this web site, Facebook, Twitter and Meetup.com.

Special guests at the first public meeting:

Helena Fruscio, Commonwealth of Mass Creative Industry Director
Theresa Park, City of Lowell Economic Development Director
Dan O’Brien, Lowell Sun Business Editor

The information and materials shared with those attending included:

  • Lowell Makes executive summary ( PDF )
  • Resumes of the three founding members ( PDF )
  • Prezi presentation below ( Prezi site | PDF )

[prezi id=”ma9mu2l52xxe”]

Additional information: