Education

Maker Education is such a valuable role. These stories will bring you the latest information and tales of maker educators who area spreading the maker mindset. Help others learn how to make things or how to think like a maker at makerspaces, schools, universities, and local communities. The importance of maker education can not be understated. We appreciate our educators.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Wall Warts (But Were Afraid To Ask)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Wall Warts (But Were Afraid To Ask)

Jon Chandler has written a fantastic getting-started article on selecting an AC-to-DC power supply for your home electronics project over at Digital DIY. It covers the very basic details of voltage and current selection, and goes on to clearly and succinctly explain what “linear,” “regulated,” and “switching” power supplies are, and, most importantly IMHO, gives a bunch of practical tips on how to identify the various species of wall warts, in the wild, and determine if they are suitable for your own application. [via Hack a Day]

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Belt-Driven, Hubless Rear Wheel Bicycle

Belt-Driven, Hubless Rear Wheel Bicycle

The aim was to use a hubless wheel to create a compact bicycle, with the benefits of a large wheel and belt drive.Hubless wheels have appeared in bicycle concepts already, and were first invented by Sbarro. However, few concepts have made it to prototype and when only used for aesthetic purposes, the disadvantage of extra cost out weights the visual gain. Lunartic uses the hubless for a reason; to house the working parts, reducing the wheel base but not sacrificing conventional riding geometry. Lunartic is supposed to be as compact as possible without folding or being awkward to ride, however there is the potential for the front wheel to fold up into the rear or for that space to be used for a laptop back, motor or dynamo.

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Wave Machine From Tape, Toothpicks, and Gummy Bears

Wave Machine From Tape, Toothpicks, and Gummy Bears

What I look for in a project, more than any other single quality, is doing a lot with a little. This “wave machine” demo from the UK’s National STEM Centre, targeted to science teachers for classroom use, is a great example. It’s just duct tape, wooden skewers, and gummy bears, but it creates some really striking, beautiful effects when set in motion. I want to make one in my living room just to play with. Their licensing terms forbid embedding of the video, but it’ll be worth your click to hop on over to STEM and watch it move.

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ThinkGeek Giving Away Damaged Stock to Hackerspaces, Schools

ThinkGeek Giving Away Damaged Stock to Hackerspaces, Schools

How cool is that? From Blurgh! The ThinkGeek Blog:

We have a problem. And it’s growing at a rate proportional to our return pile. We can’t, in good conscience, resell damaged electronics. And we can’t donate them to charity–the saddest kid in the world is one with a handheld video game that won’t turn on. Garbage, then? Not good for the environment. Luckily for us, there’s an entire class of scavengers out there ready to pick the bones of our helicopters, keyboards, and interactive t-shirts: hackers, makers, and crafty techy types.

They’re even polling interest in a possible subscription service. [Thanks, John!]

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