Milluzzi Labs

This past weekend was World Maker Faire 2016 in New York. Maker Faire is a celebration of creativity, technology, and invention. I was lucky to attend the event again this year, showing off some LEGO robots at the ILUGNY booth. While the booth was constantly busy, I was able to explore and see some truly amazing projects. Follow me after the break for more photos from this incredible event!

 Performance is just one of the awesome art forms on display at Maker Faire. From marching bands to roaming entertainers, there is always something to see! The photo on the left shows one of the more interesting entertainers when I first walked into the event. While at the initial glance you see a cool costume, check out the miniature he is holding. If you look closer, he is in the same pose, holding a miniature. This was sort of a recursive performance and something I had never seen before!

Another awesome performer was a violinist who roamed around on a motorized skateboard. The custom-built skateboard enabled her to drive around playing. Playing some classical music, she was always surrounded by a crowd.The skateboard’s motor was controlled by the violinist’s foot, keeping her hands free to play. This fusion of technology and art really shows the spirit of Maker Faire!

Continuing to roam around the event, I came across the Power Wheels Racers. These go-karts came in all shapes and sizes. Many go-karts featured really creative designs. The photo below showcases one of my favorites, rocking a Pokeball. Power Wheels Racers reminds me of Mario Kart as a kid, just without the banana peels. I watched the driver complete a few laps. While he is far from NASCAR speeds, it was fun to see him racing around the track. It was a blast check out all the go-karts and I’ll be sure to checkout the Power Wheels Race at Maker Faire Orlando in a couple of weeks! I wonder what the Makers in Orlando will come up with?

Every year at World Maker Faire there is a fire sculpture. Last year it was a huge robot, this year it reminded me of a bug. Since it was a cold weekend, it was nice feel the heat from the sculpture throughout the day.
Naturally there were a ton of LEGO projects at Maker Faire. Deepak from Mindsensors.com was showing off a Raspberry Pi to EV3 hat. Containing both motor and sensor ports, this little accessory for the Raspberry Pi opens up the world of LEGO to yet another medium. 

Lastly, where would I be without mentioning FIRST? Consuming almost a full tent, NYC FIRST was out in force, showing off FIRST LEGO League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Robotics Competition. Stronghold was an exciting FIRST Robotics Competition game and there were a couple of bots launching boulders.
So these are just some of the cool things I saw at World Maker Faire 2016. Check back next week as I showoff some shots from the ILUGNY booth and the cool projects of the ROBOT MAK3RS!