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Maker Faire NYC 2012 (pictures)

We took a trip out to Queens this weekend to check out all the robots, 3D printers, and general creative hackery at Maker Faire's New York stopover.

Rich Brown
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
Rich Brown
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Taking over the New York Hall of Science

Situated on the grounds of the 1964 World's Fair, the New York Hall of Science hosts Maker Faire both inside and out.
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Part tech expo, part carnival

The event offers an eclectic mix of tech exhibits, hacker-style workshops, performance and static art, all bedecked in sideshow charm.
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It's not Burning Man, but art cars abound

Pedal-powered butterflies provided by the Bike Zoo.
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Participation encouraged

As much educational as entertaining, Maker Faire offers attendees plenty of hands-on opportunities.
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Lockpick Village

One of the better-attended workshops, put on by TOOOL, the Open Organization of Lockpickers.
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Make and break

Brooklyn-based Llaves Designs hosted the Whack!!!! pinata-making workshop.
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Zen and the art of weaving

This hands-on demo taught saori, Zen Japanese weaving.
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A bigger mousetrap

Components of the Life-Size Mousetrap, a 16-piece Goldbergian machine and Maker Faire staple since 2009.
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Katy Perry makes an appearance

Katy Perry, the fire-shooting unicorn, of course.
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A welcome and clever respite

This Brewing as Art contraption made a decent pour.
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The Form 1 3D printer

MakerBot, Up, Ultimaker, and the other familiar RepRap-derived 3D printers all had a presence at Maker Faire. More interesting was the Form 1.

A product of a group from MIT, and subject of a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, the Form 1 uses laser-drawn resin, as opposed to ABS or PLA plastic like the other 3D printers. The result, its inventors claim, is higher-resolution, more-professional-looking prints, for a similar price as the other desktop 3D printers.

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SeeMeCNC's Rostock Max 3D printer

SeeMe CNC's delta 3D printer design offers another alternative to standard low-cost 3D printers.
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Close up of Rostock Max

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The Octopod Underwater Salvage Vehicle 5

Perhaps the best 3D-printed object your correspondent has seen, designed by Sean Charlesworth.
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Makies

And these articulated dolls are the creepiest 3D-printed objects I've seen.
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Inside the Hall of Science

Moving inside the museum building, this picture captures only a subset of the indoor exhibits.
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Automata by Dug North

Designer Dug North hand-carved these mechanical scenes.
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I Want To, by Laewoo Kang

Crowd-driven, Twitter-powered robot performance art.
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La Sagrada Familia, rendered in toothpicks

This toothpick rendering of Gaudi's famous basilica is just one of the dozens of buildings in artist Stan Munro's Toothpick World.
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Lego pancake bot

Miguel Valenzuela's Lego Pancake Bot offers an inspired take on the CNC machine.
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Keyglove

This unique take on an input device, from Jeff and Courtney Rowberg, uses touch and motion to let you interact with your PC.
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USB typewriter

Jack Zylkin has invented a 21st-century upgrade for an 18th-century technology.
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DIY paper hologram

Using colored lights and paper, artist collective Black Label Robot has created a convincing trick of the eye.
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Lumiphonic creature choir

So there's a singer, a keyboard, a laptop, and 12 floating eye/head things...

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