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Archive: Announcements
May 8, 2008
CRAFT: 07 The Shoe Issue - On newsstands now!
Nat has all the details about CRAFT 07 (she's also on the cover!)...
CRAFT: 07 is on newsstands now! We celebrates spring in high style, devoting our theme section to shoes! And can we talk here, who doesn't like shoes? Now you can crafty your own by learning two ways to mod Converse Hightops: knit one pair and swap the fabric on another. Fashion a pair of ribbon-tie sandals, open source shoes and build your own rollerskates. Plus, learn how to batik fabric, découpage a map on a coffee table, reupholster a chair, and build a set of portable speakers. See the full table of contents online. (And yes, that's me on the cover with our CRAFT mascot, my little pomeranian Lulu.)
Take a preview of the issue with our Digital Edition. Subscribe today for only $34.95 (US) for 4 quarterly issues a year and also get full access to the Digital Edition.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
May 8, 2008 12:00 AM
Announcements, Crafts |
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May 3, 2008
Live updates from Maker Faire
Here's our live twitter feed (http://www.twitter.com/makerfaire) for minute by minute updates on what's going on @ Maker Faire!
Live from Maker Faire
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
May 3, 2008 09:19 AM
Announcements |
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April 25, 2008
Attention Capital Makers!
Wow, all of a sudden, it feels like Washington, DC is a happenin' place for DIY-minded techies and tinkerers. Check out this schedule of upcoming events:
Saturday, April 26: RobotFest, Linthicum, MD
Make: DC will be there doing Solarbotics BEAM workshops for kids!
Sunday, April 27: HacDC Pre-Grand Opening Parts Party
And:
Tuesday April, 29:
Dorkbot DC
7 PM - 9 PM (ET)
ALWAYS FREE!
Smith Hall of Art, Room 114
George Washington University
801 22nd St NW
Washington, DC 20037
Steve Hernandez : Machine to Machine (M2M) Communication Utilizing GSM Cellular Networks M2M communication is the process of allowing two or more machines to communicate with each other to exchange data and can encompass both voice and data communications. Steve's going to discuss using the GM862 Cellular Quad Band Module, manufactured by Telit, and available from SparkFun Electronics, in your projects.
Steve Hernandez is an engineer working in areas of telecom that he'd rather not discuss with you, but only because he doesn't like the hassle of having to dispose of your body afterwards.
Jay Swift : Bringing Up Rex In our second presentation on the RepRap project's plan for world domination and the good people that are making that possible, Jay--a member of the Baltimore/Washington RepRap Users' Group--will have us oohing and ahhing as he shows us his neonatal Darwin 1.0 (dubbed Rex by his GF) and tells us where RepRaps come from.
Jay Swift is a high school Junior who got interested in RepRap about six months ago, mainly because he wanted to do something that was more worth his time than K'NEX.
If you--or someone you know--has an interesting announcement or something to share (5 minutes or less), we'll make time to fit you in.
Afterdork
After the presentations, the exchange continues over food and drink at a nearby eatery.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Apr 25, 2008 01:00 PM
Announcements, Events, Robotics, Science |
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April 24, 2008
DC has a hacker space!
A couple of my Make: DC and Dorkbot DC compatriots, Nick Farr, Adam Koeppel, and others, have created a hacker space in DC, in the spirit of other bricks and mortars sites like NYC Resistor and Philly's The Hactory. HacDC is holding a pre-grand opening "Parts Party" this Sunday to start collecting techno-junk, equipment, parts, tools, etc. that folks want to donate. Come on by and bring some stuff. It's a 501(c)3 non-profit, so donations are tax-deductible.
ACDC presents: "PRE-GRAND OPENING PARTS PARTY"
HacDC's first public event!
When: April 27 - 2:00PM
Where: 1525 Newton St Washington, DC 20010
Who: HacDC Co-Founders and YOU!
Cost: FREE, but please bring a tool/furniture/electronic scrap to donate!
What: A PARTS PARTY?!
Why: We started HacDC to give DC a place to make, build, disassemble, code, learn and do all the awesome things you can do in a "hacker space". Like nycresistor.com in New York and thehacktory.org in Philly, DC now has its own collaboration and creative space, HacDC! However, we can't do it without your support. We rely on you!
How: Get to our parrty and bring something to help build our space. Anything from:
* Tools! (Power tools, electronic test equipment, soldering irons, etc.)
* Furniture (especially folding chairs and shelving!)
* Electronics (working and non-working things we can disassemble!)
* Food and Beverages (to keep us going while we work on projects!)
We're also looking for charter members, people who are dedicated to building a stronger DIY/Hacker community in DC. We are a non-profit DC organization seeking 501(c)(3) status, and all of our work goes directly back into the community through educational, scientific and cultural channels.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Apr 24, 2008 01:17 PM
Announcements, Flying |
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April 21, 2008
Audition for Make:TV @ Maker Faire
Stop by and show us what cool stuff you've been making - bring your completed (or near completed) project or a even a photo of your work. Send an email to the address above to let us know you'll be attending the auditions.
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Apr 21, 2008 04:00 AM
Announcements |
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April 18, 2008
Winner(s) of the MAKE tool naming "Make: Open Sourcerer" and more...
Ok folks, sorry for the delay with posting the winner(s) of the "Name our next tool contest" - we wanted to make sure we had them in stock before we announced the winners. It's not just winner, it's winners.
Here's why - we had hundreds of entries (319 x multiple entries) it took over a week to go through all of them, anyone could enter and after our staff sent me their favorites the top one was "Make: Open Sourcerer" followed by "Make: Reverse Engineer" - open sourcerer was from our own staff so we're keeping the name (and yes, Collin, you get a tool) - but we're also awarding the runner up, "Reverse Engineer" with a special limited edition of one tool, etched just for them, congrats Robin Debreuil! We'll also email you if we don't hear from you soon.
So here it is, the new Make: Open Sourcerer! - Durability and handiness to the max make the Leatherman CS4 the essential compact folding tool for tinkerers, makers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. This is the "MEGA" version of our popular Make: Warranty voider, the "Make: Open Sourcerer" Leatherman Juice CS4 Tool is bigger, beefier and meant to go on long trips & tougher jobs. Become a sorcerer of opening things with the only tool you'll ever need - the Make: Open Sourcerer!
- Pliers
- Straight knife
- Hard-wire cutters
- Scissors
- Screwdriver, large
- Screwdriver, medium
- Screwdriver, small
- Screwdriver, x-small
- Screwdriver, phillips
- Container opener
- Corkscrew with assist
- Bottle opener
- Saw
- Awl/punch
- Length: 3.25 in. / 8.25 cm
- Weight: (oz.) 5.5 oz. / 155 grams
"Make: Open Sourcerer" - get one now @ the Maker store!
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Apr 18, 2008 12:00 AM
Announcements |
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April 15, 2008
MAKE on TV
QUEST TV wrote in to let us know they'll be airing a segment on the tabletop biosphere project from MAKE volume 10. The story will air Tuesday at 7:30 pm on KQED 9 & KQED HD on Comcast 709 - you can also view it online @ QUEST's website.
Related:
Make a Tabletop Biosphere - PDFcast
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Apr 15, 2008 03:00 PM
Announcements |
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April 8, 2008
MAKE nominated for a Webby award, please vote!
MAKE was nominated for a Webby award this year along with Dwell, National Geographic, NY Mag and Yoga Journal. If you like what we cook up each day here for you, please vote for us here in the People's Voice section (Magazine)!
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Apr 8, 2008 12:00 PM
Announcements |
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Robot Fest 2008
Some of my Dorkbot DC cohort put on this wonderful robot célèbre each year. This year, Make: DC, another org I'm involved in, will be doing workshops too (using Solarbotics parts and kits). Robot Fest 2008 will be April 26 at the Historical Electronics Museum, Linthicum, Maryland. Hope to see you there.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Apr 8, 2008 11:00 AM
Announcements, Events, Robotics |
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April 4, 2008
Cylon coffee maker -- Make your own Cylon using open source hardware...
DVICE, SCIFI.COM & MAKE are having a "Make a Cylon" contest - Cylons Tricia Helfer (Number Six) and Grace Park (Boomer) will judge - you can build a physical Cylon any way you wish but we also have a Cylon version of the open source hardware kit called the miniPOV - used to spell words in the air, brain machines and now enemy of the Twelve Colonies. More "Cylon mania" @ Wired too.
Here's a sneak peak at what Collin is working on...
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Apr 4, 2008 10:39 AM
Announcements, DIY Projects, Electronics |
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Wanna work with one of our columnists and make medically-related equipment?
Want to make medical type equipment? Charles Platt, a section editor and contributor to Make, needs help in his very small business designing and fabricating prototypes of innovative medically-related equipment. He can pay up to $35/hour for an independent contractor who can set his/her own hours and may work some of the time from his own home/garage if she/he wishes. Soldering, cutting, shaping, and finishing are necessary skills. Must be able to follow a plan. Tig welding ability would be helpful but not essential. Platt's workshop is in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Contact him at helpfulcorp@gmail.com with specific examples of things you have built.
Pictured here, Life and Death at Low Temperatures, How to freeze and revive a garden snail.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Apr 4, 2008 05:00 AM
Announcements |
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April 3, 2008
Carpet sample competition
The Ample Sample contest writes:
More than 700,000 carpet samples will ship this year, helping architects and interior designers move closer to choosing the perfect carpet for installation into their projects.
Ample Sample 2008 challenges you to "Rethink. Reuse. Upcycle", and repurpose these samples, after their usefulness to a design project, to make a design product. Winning designs will be judged upon criteria of aesthetics, purpose, ease of creation, creativity, durability, number/volume of carpet samples or Tryks used.
The winning designs will be promoted at NeoCon World's Trade Fair 2008, in Chicago's Merchandise Mart. Winners will also be featured in Floor Focus magazine, and of course, will have blueprints of their design made available for free download to forward-thinking design firms around the world. The cut-off date for entries is May 16, so don't hesitate.
Via Core77.
Posted by Becky Stern |
Apr 3, 2008 09:00 PM
Announcements, Furniture, Green |
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April 2, 2008
Name the next MAKE tool (and win one!)
*Note: This contest is over, comments are now closed.
Ok gang we have some NEW MAKE tools coming in, actually they're here now - thing is, we need to name them. If we pick a name you come up with, we'll send you one - the very first one in fact, hot off the laser etcher!
These are bigger and toolier (is that a word? should be) than our MAKE: warranty voider Leatherman tools, they are the Leatherman "Juice" model... The Juice CS4 tool comes equipped with pliers, regular and hard wire cutters, straight knife, and four screwdrivers-extra small, small, medium/large, and a Phillips. Also features can/bottle opener, corkscrew, serrated scissors, saw and awl.
So we need to name it and then put in the LASER to etch them, post up your suggestion in the comments, here is what we've heard before so don't use these...
- Big Blue
- Dream Maker
- Blueprint Maker
- Blueprint Builder
- Builder of Blueprints
- Open It
- Make Opener
- Make Player
- Make: Play
- Make: Play Tool
- "Violator" as in an agreement violator
- Make HackKnife
- MakeShift
- The MacGyver
- The dismantler
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Apr 2, 2008 12:00 AM
Announcements, MAKE Store |
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April 1, 2008
MAKE - The Third year. Box set, box or make your own
4 volumes of MAKE year three are combined in a special edition collector's box. Includes: Volume 09, Volume 10, Volume 11, Volume 12 is on sale now. If you have volumes 9 through 12 you can just get the box, or you can make your own - 96mb zip (EPS).
Previous:
MAKE year one: Box set, box and DIY box.
MAKE the next year: Box set, box.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Apr 1, 2008 06:00 AM
Announcements, MAKE Store |
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A collection of DIY, geeky and tech pranks
Happy April 1st! We love a good prank, a culture jam or two - a side of surprise @ MAKE. Here are some of of the interesting pranks, DIY prank projects and more appeareing on MAKE!
Musical Caps Lock prank.
Bring "Ghosts" to your Home for Winter Parties - Modern Mechanix 1993.
Change the message on HP printers.
HOW TO - Single use camera hand shocker.
Bluetoothing a Trash 80.
HOW TO - Pre-sliced bananas.
High bench makes you wonder...
The IR-ritator.
Modifying a cheap portable cellphone jammer.
HOW TO - The Singing Keyboard prank.
HOW TO - Make a sonic grenade.
MAKE switches to "BUY:" magazine.
Easter Island here we come!
Post your favorite pranks in the comments!
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Apr 1, 2008 12:00 AM
Announcements |
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March 31, 2008
April Fools contest
As you know, tomorrow is April 1st. So be prepared to prank and be pranked. Instructables is running a contest (through the 13th) to find the best in April Fools shenanigans. Check out the entries so far -- you might find something worth torturing friends and coworkers with tomorrow.
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Mar 31, 2008 12:00 PM
Announcements, Holiday projects, Instructables |
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Top articles in MAKE 1 - 12 - What you're reading in MAKE!
Here are the most read articles in MAKE 1 - 12!
If you're a MAKE subscriber, you get the digital edition for free - MAKE Digital Edition is a vivid replica of the print edition of MAKE, it offers an experience very much like the print magazine plus many additional benefits, such as online searching, embedded multimedia and printing. Please note that MAKE Digital Edition can be viewed from any web browser (i.e. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari etc.) and requires NO DOWNLOADING of software NO weird DRM'ed PDFs - you get instant access to your entire MAKE collection!
Because MAKE has a digital edition, we can actually see what people like and are reading the most -- I'm pretty sure we're the only, if not one of the few magazines that actually do this - so we're sharing the results with you!
Click any of the links after the jump and start reading MAKE now. Or subscribe and get started a little later! Use the code CMAKE to get $5 off (USA only).
MAKE 12 - Beetlebot. By Jerome Demers. Ultra-Simple Bugbot navigates obstacles with feelers and switches. page 140 - Read it in MAKE Digital Edition. MAKE Volume 12: Upload - Make, Vol 12 features our special section on digital arts and crafts called "Upload," where you'll learn how to take infrared photographs, shoot movies with custom backgrounds, and make fun-to-watch slideshows of your digital family photos. You'll also learn how to make an extremely loud air whistle, a solar-powered xylophone, and a TV remote control that's powered by your muscles. As usual, you'll find plenty of other exciting how-to projects inside. MAKE Volume 12 & Get it at the Maker Store.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Mar 31, 2008 08:00 AM
Announcements |
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Maker Faire returns! May 3rd & 4th 2008
"Combining old-fashioned crafters with forward-thinking technorati, fashionistas, and mad scientists of all stripes, the Maker Faire is a hands-on celebration of all things DIY brought to life by Make magazine." -- The Onion
Buy tickets now and save! Discount ticket sales end on April 25th, 2008.
Maker Faire returns! Booming DIY fest expects record crowd - May 3rd & 4th 2008! Last year, over 45,000 people from all across the country (and beyond) came to the Bay Area to celebrate the world's premier event for DIY (Do It Yourself) creativity--Maker Faire! This year, May 3rd and 4th, the event returns to the San Mateo Fairgrounds once again, for what will be the biggest and wildest Maker Faire yet! Put together by Make Magazine and Craft Magazine, Maker Faire celebrates things people create themselves--from electronic gizmos that would make James Bond jealous, to "slow made" foods and homemade clothes that would make Martha Stewart swoon. The event is a non-stop "wow-fest" where surprises and inspiration are as ubiquitous as the festival air.
"At the surface, Maker Faire is a fun event for people of all ages," explained Event Director Sherry Huss. "But more than just a weekend of creative entertainment, we want people to leave feeling inspired--that they too can create things, express themselves, and engage the world around them. Our goal is to resuscitate the spirit of American innovation!"
Named "Best Special Event" at the 2007 FOLIO FAME Awards, the 2008 Bay Area Maker Faire will put a special emphasis on "Green" living. There will be a huge exhibit featuring Farm Aid's Homegrown Village, a local farmer's market, Swap-O-Rama-Rama's giant used clothing swap, DIY workshops and fashion show, Bazaar Bizarre's crafts fair, a live Prius plug-in car conversion from Bay Area's Calcars.org, and much, much more.
Along with the hundreds of Makers displaying their unique creations, specific event highlights from this year's Maker Faire include:
- Greg Leyh's 19 foot Tesla Towers - live performances daily
- Wedding Bells! "The Neverwas Haul," a self-propelled 3-story Victorian House, will host the first-ever Maker Faire wedding
- Saturday Evening Fire Spectacular (extended hours, 6pm - 10pm) - Power Tool Drag Races, Steampunk Spectacular, musical performances, The Flaming Lotus Girls, and more
- Electronic Music Fest - an orchestra of musical toys, LIVE bands playing instruments you've never seen before, The Tarantulas Jug Band and much more
- The Life-Sized Mousetrap - a giant re-creation of the popular board game
- LUNAR (Livermore Unit of the National Association of Rocketry) will help parents and children build and launch Estes-Cox rockets
- The Electric Giraffe - our huge, 17 foot tall, 1-ton walking robot giraffe will once again patrol the grounds of Maker Faire
- The founders of ROBOEXOTICA present the "MindReadingMartiniMaker" and other award-winning cocktail-robots
- Educational Robots - robotic demonstrations for two youth robotic competitions: FIRST LEGO League [5th through 8th grades] and FIRST Tech Challenge [7th through 12th grades]
- "Like Father Like Son" - a local father/son team will be converting a 1967 Honda S90 motorcycle into a state-of-the-art plug-in vehicle
- "ArtGolf" - the 3-hole artgolf course makes its Bay Area Maker Faire debut. Fore!
- The Village Blacksmith - new to this year's Faire
- Diet Coke & Mentos - Las Vegas' famed Bellagio can't match this DIY display - shows both days
- The Institute of the Future Pavilion - what will Maker Faire look like in 2018?
- Experimental Aviation - The Oshkosh Experimental Aviation Association (eaa.org) will be taking Maker Faire aviation to new heights
- Cyclecide Pedal Powered Bicycle Rodeo
Preliminary event sponsors include Microsoft, Adobe, Chronicle Books, Epilog Laser, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Lion Brand Yarn, Plenty, Sakura, ShopBot Tools, Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Singer, SparkFun Electronics, Sun and Walt Disney Imagineering.
"This is going to be the biggest and best Maker Faire yet," said Dale Dougherty, editor and publisher of Make magazine. "If you want to see the future of American innovation, this is the place to be."
The Details:
When:
Saturday, May 3, 2008 (10am - 10pm) - Sunday, May 4, 2008 (11am - 6pm)
Where:
The San Mateo County Event Center and Fairgrounds, 2495 South Delaware Street, San Mateo, CA
Admission:
Adults: $25/$20 in advance; Students (13-21): $15/$10 in advance; Youth (4-12): $10/$5 in advance; and children under 4 are free/
For the very latest information and updates, please visit: www.makerfaire.com
About Maker Faire:
Maker Faire is the premier event for grassroots American innovation. The event started in San Mateo, California in 2006 and expanded to Austin, Texas in 2007. Held annually in each of these locations, the event may expand elsewhere in the future. Maker Faire is supported by Make Magazine and Craft Magazine and O'Reilly Media the premier information source for leading-edge computer technologies. The company's books, conferences, and web sites bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators.
Buy tickets now and save! Discount ticket sales end on April 25th, 2008.
Posted by Phillip Torrone |
Mar 31, 2008 12:00 AM
Announcements, Maker Faire |
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March 28, 2008
DorkbotPDX - Portland, event this Sunday!
Thomas writes -
DorkbotPDX 0x01 will be taking place on March 30th at the PNCA Graduate Studios building (1432 NW Johnson St.). We are planning to start things around 6, though there will probably be time to socialize a bit before the talks start. There will also be time to meet others in the Portland Dorkbot community between and after the talks.
The lineup of speakers is:
- Cathy Swider - Using LEGO Mindstorm NXT robots with students to create art
- Ward Cunningham - What If Bacteria Designed Computers?
- David Frech - Bootstrap yourself into conviviality by writing your own Forth
Talk Descriptions:
- Using LEGO Mindstorm NXT robots with students to create art. As alternative to competitive competitions or skill challenges, LEGO ArtBots facilitates students to learn basic programming and robotic mechanical design for the purpose of creating line drawings or watercolor paintings. Students write short programs and attach sub-assemblies to hold brushes and markers to create the art. The robot moves autonomously with the assistance of light, touch and rotation sensors creating interesting and sometimes unpredictable results. It is hoped this approach will generate interest in engineering and computer science among new groups of students.
- What If Bacteria Designed Computers? This talk explores Bynase, the biologically inspired protocol that Cybord computers use to signal values amongst themselves. The primary value of Bynase is that it drives system designers into novel tradeoffs with analogies in biological systems. A second value of Bynase is that it encourages casual small-scale hardware/software projects suitable for one-off art or educational projects.
- Bootstrap yourself into conviviality by writing your own Forth. Forth is a simple language that yet has enormous expressive power. This paradox invites investigation. In this talk David proposes to explain - abstractly at first by talking about some philosophical ideals that Forth embodies, and then concretely by giving a short tutorial of the language that I implemented, muForth - how Forth can be both simple and powerful.
Related work from DorkbotPDX makers:
The Chronulator
Posted by Collin Cunningham |
Mar 28, 2008 02:19 PM
Announcements |
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Out of this world partying
I love an excuse for a party and I can't think of a better one than a celebration of humankind's first climb out of the gravity well. That would be April 12, 1961, when Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. The event is now celebrated throughout the world each year (on April 12th) with Yuri's Night: World Space Party. Groovy, baby!
The goal is to throw at least 120 parties across the globe. Some 80 parties are already being planned. Check the site to see if there's one in your area, and if not, there's info on how you can host your own.
Yuri's Night: World Space Party
Posted by Gareth Branwyn |
Mar 28, 2008 02:00 PM
Announcements, Events, Science |
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Phillip Torrone
Senior Editor
Tel: 707-827-7311
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Robot Maker
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Video Maker
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Researcher
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Senior Editor
CRAFT
Becky Stern
Culture jammer
Collin Cunningham
Sound Maker
Marc de Vinck
CNC Maker
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An ornithopter is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings! Here is a simple monoplane design powered by a rubber band. It's motion is similar to a bird in flight. To download Build an Ornithopter MP4 click here...
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