Most Recent Meeting - Feburary 14th
We are thrilled and honored to welcome back Slavko Milekic, M.D., PhD as guest speaker. Dr. Milekic will update us on his development of a "cheap webcam-based eye-tracker." His invention is software that transforms a regular webcam into a sophisticated device that can follow the eye movements of someone at a computer so that they in turn can control the computer without a keyboard or mouse -- just by using their eyes.
Since he last spoke at MakePhilly over two years ago he has successfully completed development of a functional prototype of a webcam eye-tracker which has been accepted for an international conference this April. Dr. Milekic's presentation will explain how his device works and will explore the potential impact of such a device on our everyday experience with computers. For example, he will explore such questions as: "What can you do if your computer knew exactly what you are looking at? What kind of games would you design? What kind of educational applications? What about mind reading software?"
Dr. Milekic is an associate professor of Cognitive Science & Digital Design at the University of the Arts,
:: MEETING SPECS ::
Date: Sunday, Feburary 14th 2010
Time: 3PM sharp
Location: University of the Arts, 211 S. Broad Street, Terra Hall, 5th Floor
ID: Bring your ID with you to sign in at the front desk
Cost: FREE
:: OPEN MAKE ::
A staple of all our meetings is Open Make -- an opportunity for you to share with the group a project you recently completed. If interested in presenting email us at makephilly@gmail to reserve your spot.
:: MAKER CHALLENGE ::
During the second half of this and every meeting we break into teams and build something to meet the objective of the 'maker challenge'. *All skill levels welcome.* In the spirit of our guest speaker's invention, the maker challenge will be to build a device with which you can write "hi" behind your head through remote mechanical control.
MakePhilly Builds Giant Operation Game For Franklin
BODY WORLDS 2 hosts OPERATION Game Tournament at The Franklin Institute
Saturday, January 30th @ 11AM
BODY WORLDS 2 teamed up with MakePhilly and Hive76 to produce a life size version of Hasbro's OPERATION game featuring Ben Franklin. Read more here: http://www2.fi.edu/bodyworlds2/operation.html
Here's some pics from the event:
Join MakePhilly!
Welcome to Make:Philly. We are artists and engineers; DIY'ers and DIY wannabe's; geeks and visionaries. We're here to create. We are Makers.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! ( join )
- Increase the technical, design and creative skills of our members
- Make something at every meeting!
- Provide a network for creative collaboration
We look forward to seeing you at the next meeting!
Comments or Questions? MakePhilly@gmail
Get Involved with our sister groups: Hive76 & The Hacktory
Hive76 is a Hackerspace and DIY club in Philly... "We have weekly events, shared studio space, and awesome people to work with. We are making stuff awesome, and making awesome stuff." www.Hive76.org
The Hacktory is an outgrowth of our desire to expand the use of technology in the arts through classes for artists and makers. http://www.thehacktory.org/
MakePhilly In The News
JANUARY 2010
Test Your Operating Skills
Do you have what it takes to save Ben Franklin?
By Katharine Gray
Steady, steady, steady -- buzz.
That's how many of us found out we weren't going to grow up to be surgeons. But if you happened to be a pro at Operation, then here's the chance to win your title.
That's how many of us found out we weren't going to grow up to be surgeons. But if you happened to be a pro at Operation, then here's the chance to win your title.
Make Philly, Hive76, The Franklin Institute and Body Worlds 2, an exhibit of real human bodies that have been turned into plastic to improve the education of medical students and the general public, have teamed up to bring you something much less scary sounding than that -- an Operation Game Tournament... [Full Article]
AUGUST 2009
January 2009
Scene But Not Nerd
Geeks in Philadelphia make their mark. 
by Steven Wells
"...A typical Make: Philly event: In a room at the University of the Arts on Broad Street, around 60 real–life MacGyver “deeks” (DIY geeks) listen to a lecture about research into snakelike self-reassembling robots from Penn professor Mark Yim. Then a deek takes the stage to show off his own borderline-insane invention: a body board nailed to an office chair."
September 2008
Geek Safari
"I come expecting freaks with enormous heads and pocket protectors and slide–rules and homemade Dr. Octopus–style exoskeletons. But this looks like a pretty normal bunch of people. Two hours in their company will change that perception.
If any one of these Philadelphians were stranded on a desert island like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, they’d have a fully functioning one–person 21st century civillization going full blast within hours. Never mind talking volleyballs. These people would build self–replicating armies, volleyball–headed robot servants that can climb coconut trees and build paddle steamers. No problem. That’s what they do.
These geeks are amazing. They turn junk into shit that does stuff. They are real–life MacGyvers. And they will rule the planet after the Apocalypse, keeping the giant cockroaches at bay with ray guns built out of duct tape, chewing gum and old Etch A Sketches.
This the 18th meeting of Make:Philly—”a collaboration of artists and engineers; DIYers and DIY wannabes; geeks and visionaries”. This translates into 50 or so youngish folk packed into a classroom at the University of the Arts on Broad Street while outside the rest of the city frolics in the balmy autumnal sunshine. And misses out on all the fun.
They might be geeks Or they might be nerds. Or possibly dorks. Nobody seems quite sure what the difference is anyway. But they all seem damn sure these former terms of abuse are now badges of honor...."
April 2008
Grassroots groups nurture creativity
Philadelphia Business Journal - by Peter Key Staff Writer
Like many area entrepreneurs over the years, Blake Jennelle is proud to have attorney Steve Goodman represent his company. That doesn't mean, however, that he lets Goodman attend the meetings of Philly Startup Leaders, which Jennelle founded last September. The group is for people starting companies and he doesn't allow service providers, other than potential investors, to attend its gatherings. "They've pretty much decided that they want it to be entrepreneurs only and I deeply respect that," said Goodman, who co-chairs Center City law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius' global emerging technology and life-sciences practice.
Philly Startup Leaders is one of three organizations that members of what sociologist Richard Florida calls the creative class have created to make Philadelphia a better place for people like them.
MakePhilly, which holds meetings at which people make things ranging from musical instruments to computer-controlled devices, has been around about two years. Earlier this year, it opened the Hacktory, in Philadelphia's Spring Garden section, to provide work and meeting space and classes...
