For the past few years, I’ve considered myself an active participant in the Maker Movement—a growing community of tech-influenced DIY individuals. Despite how involved I’ve been, I am always surprised by the ingenuity and products created by hobbyists, enthusiasts, and students showcased at the Maker Faire, and this year was no exception!

Held on September 23rd and 24th in New York City, the Faire hosted hundreds of attendees to experience, as described by Gillian Mutti from Maker Faire, “Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors.”

Along with the more popular technologies of the maker community (including Raspberry Pi, Arduino Boards, soldering tools, and 3D Printers), there were a few notable technologies and activities I have never encountered before. These include laser printers capable of printing on alternative materials including wood and styrofoam; motorbikes powered by hand drills; drone racing; and STEAM busses designed to make STEAM accessible to all students. But that’s just scratching the surface.

Below is a list, in no prioritized order, of the STEAM(y) goodness that made us at Teq reach for our phones to snap a picture at this years’ 2017 Maker Faire. 

Dancing Water Fountain

This interactive display was created by engineer Scott Schneider, who is a hobbyist in his spare time. Comprised of 3 kiddie sized pools, 15 jets, RGB lighting, a keyboard, and musical accompaniment, kids could control the water fountain all day long—and boy did they ever! Check out our video below to see one little boy jamming away!

https://youtu.be/4tOzn6b6BjI

Moat Paddle Boat

Okay, I know what you’re thinking—what’s so cool about a Moat Paddle Battle? Sure, it’s been a shop and physics class staple for quite some time, but now it’s getting a fresh new makeover thanks to 3D printing!

Check out this link for free printing files from Thingiverse, Ultimaker’s 3D printing resource. For details straight from Ultimaker’s blog, click this link, so you can start creating paddle boats with your students today!

OtterBox uniVERSE Case System

With an open-source design, the Otterbox uniVERSE case system for Apple and Samsung allows individuals to design and build their own case accessories. Some designs include a suction cup holder, phone stand, money clip, and Raspberry Pi Enclosure! 

Imagine a class full of iPads or students personal devices having these cases. Your students could be designing creative case accessories for weeks!

To learn more about the OtterBox uniVERSE case, click here: http://www.otterbox.com/en-us/universe-cad.html

Code Bots

If you couldn’t tell from previous blog posts, here at Teq, we love our Code-Bots. 

This year’s Maker Faire debuted two new code bots—Dance Code Belle and Furreal Makers Proto Max. If you’re looking to get your young learners interested in coding, you might want to start here. These toys are designed for buy-in, especially the Proto Max. What parent wouldn’t want to satisfy their child’s plea for a dog with one that doesn’t actually make a mess?

Green Spaces With Less Space

Stephen Ritz, the author of The Power of Plant, is also a teacher in the Bronx. Ritz had a dream of teaching his students about agriculture providing them with hands-on experience in the subject. This task would have stunted many other teachers, but Ritz overcame that in a big way with the Green Bronx Machine.

This is a PVC built food system that allows students to learn about agriculture in an urban setting. 

To learn more about the Green Bronx Machine, view the video below.

This year’s Maker Faire showcased a few contenders to this Green Bronx Machine (left), like the one shown below (right). This GBM-inspired machine is gravity fed, with a single pump drip system made from recycled soda bottles. 

Assistive Technology

Nagasai Sreyash Sola is an eighth grader with an undeniably big heart. In his spare time, he works on developing assistive technologies that help the blind and disabled play instruments and more. With the use of an Arduino board, Sola uses distance sensing to allow a child in a wheelchair to play the xylophone, and a blind individual take advantage of echolocation with a cane that makes noise when approaching objects. Sola is definitely one to keep an eye on—his tinkering heart is already changing the world for many individuals.

For More

For more information about Maker activities, project-based learning, and STEAM-focused activities, visit https://34.201.222.12/learning-community/teq-talk/. If you have any questions, send them to out PD team, at onlinepd@teq.com.