Alt.SXSW: ArcAttack! and More at SXSW Maker Show and Tell

Chris Locke from Heartless Machine

If you have already been watching MAKE’s alt.SXSW livestream, stay tuned today until 3:30 CST and you’ll catch MAKE’s official SXSW podcast.  We are doing a SXSW Maker Show and Tell, profiling local Austinites and makers here for THE FESTIVAL.  (If you have a SXSW badge, the panel is 3:30 at Driskill Hotel’s Maximillian Room, 6th and Brazos.)

Some of the fun we’ll be having:

Joe DiPrima of ArcAttack! will be showing off some mad electricity tricks.Christopher A. Locke’s Heartless Machines (pictured)Dr. Bleep of Bleeplabs fameEthan Reesor’s Jacob’s ladderAustin Tinkering School’s giant bow & arrow project17 year old Markus Clardy’s “Android in Steel”YOU!  If you’re here for SXSW and have a project you’d like to show off, come to the Driskill / Maximillian Room by 3 PM.See all the #MakeSXSW coverage at http://www.livestream.com/oreillymake

ALSO at SXSW:  The MAKE and O’Reilly booth is hopping!  Learn to solder, meet makers, see the new MakerBot Replicator, shop O’Reilly publications, MAKE, and O’Reilly special swag and free MAKE Kits Special Issue. Come say hi; we’re booth #510 in the Convention Center Trade Show.

Alt.SXSW: College of Lockpicking Launch Event

 

Curious about lock picking, but don’t know where to start? The knowledgeable folks at College of Lockpicking will be holding a launch event for their new site and web store today in Austin during SxSW, between 5-7 p.m. at 100 E 8th St. (near Congress). Eric Michaud and Jamie Schwettmann will be on hand to teach you the finer points of picking a pin-tumbler lock with another Locksport Lounge. RSVP to reserve picks, while they last.

College of Lockpicking is a hands-on workshop that includes approximately an hour of instructor-led lecture and an hour of participant-led workshop, including the history and development of pin-tumbler locks, a full breakdown of how a pin-tumbler lock works, introduction and tutorial with the pick tools, and a slew of videos on bump keys, destructive entry methods, decoders, Medeco picking, electronic locks, and more.

Alt.SXSW: MAKE @ frog design Opening Party

 Photos courtesy Angie Chang at Women 2.0. Thanks, Angie!

Last night, the MAKE crew had a blast at the frog design / Microsoft SXSW Interactive Opening Party. We ran two tables making LED throwies and two more making Brushbots. Thanks to frog and Microsoft for playing host and to everyone who came by and chatted, shared a drink, and/or built something with us! If you didn’t catch our live streaming footage from the party, not to worry: It’s archived at the link, below.

SAT: Frog Party on MAKE Livestream

Alt.SXSW: Dorks Convene in Palm Park

Today is the last official day of SXSW Interactive, and in a small park nestled behind the Austin Convention Center and I-35, the makers convened. Two tents—one for maker exhibits, one for an all-day DorkbotATX lineup of speakers—hosted a great array of makers showing and talking about projects.

Thanks to Dorkbot Austin, ATX Hackerspace, and SXSW for hosting. Here’s a glimpse at MAKE’s day at SXSWCreate.

A handcrafted landscape from John P. Funk's animated YouTube series, "Captain Cozmic of Planet Patrol"

10BitWorks hackerspace from San Antonio showing their hack on a RepRap Mendell 3D printer (it uses UAE parts vs. metric)

The Giant Brain by professorconrad.com tested attendees for a variety of mental disorders, and provided reparation (not pictured) with medicinal tinctures and vibrating thought rectifiers.

Michael McDaniel (father of twins, Senior Visual Designer at frogdesign, AND founder/CEO of Reaction Housing System) spoke about his obsession to create inexpensive, robust, and dignified temporary housing solutions for disaster relief.

College of Lockpicking taught the fine art of cracking the physical code of common locks.

Fraternizing in the SXSWCreate exhibitor tent—with MAKE and the MakerBot's new Replicator at the entry.

Alt.SXSW: MAKE’s Take on the Festival

 

Hot on the heels of alt.GDC comes alt.SXSW. What does “alt.” mean? It’s a throwback to the old alt. domains on USENET and refers to MAKE taking a slightly askew view of these large commercial tech events, in search of maker stories amongst the conventional mayhem. We have a video team and some bloggers at SXSWi and are doing live streaming of the event, making it up as we go along. And this is alt.SXSWi (interactive), so we want to hear your ideas for what we should cover, where we should point our cameras. Send your thoughts and feedback to #makesxsw @make.

Alt.SXSW: Tron Light Cycles Realized

The concept for frog’s SXSW interactive opening party involved a  number of classic video games made physical to a greater or lesser extent.  My personal favorite was their take on the Tron light cycle duel, which I got a chance to play today at Austin Dorkbot’s SXSW Create event. (For purists, I should note that their implementation of the game allows for smoothly-radiused turns, instead of just sharp 90-degree cornering, so it’s more like the version of the game we saw in the 2010 Tron: Legacy remake.)

frog personnel Matt, Pat, and Jared worked together to create a “physical” version of the game, starting with two stationary exercise bikes.  Each was retrofit with an Arduino, a tachometer, a mechanical hand brake, and a set of steerable handlebars.  In play, two contestants direct their “Light Trikes”  by steering with the handlebars and peddling faster or slower to control speed.  Each contestant sits before a large monitor with a third-person view of his or her trike, in the digital arena, while an overhead “God’s eye” view is projected on a screen between them for onlookers.
The basic rules, of course, haven’t changed: Run these guys into your jet walls.
Light Trikes at South by SouthWest
More:
Make: Projects — Tron Bag with EL Wire
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