Below is some initial documentation for the project. And here’s the Project Space on Eleas’ site.
http://www.praxisdesigns.net/projects/maker-faire-collaboration/

To get a sense of what the sculptures are looking like, here are some photos of what we’re working on (check out Flickr for more photos)

So – what does our project “do” ?

Well – as of now, it’s a interactive wood.metal network of sculptures. As you approach any one of the sculptures, the lights on the sculpture change.

Here’s a quick video on what things are looking like so far

We’ve made an effort to document things as we go, so below is some documentation on how the electronics part of things work.

ELECTRONICS & CODE

To start, we are working with Arduino’s, some LED strip lights, a PING Sensor, and some XBEE’s.

To get going, we downloaded the latest versions of Processing (http://processing.org/download/) and Arduino (http://arduino.cc/en/main/software).

Once I had the latest versions running on my computer, I was able to get hacking and coding. I pulled down some test code just to try getting code from my computer to by Arduino board. For the Arduino side of things, I’m using the Arduino Duemilanove.

Initially, I had some issues getting the very basic step of getting code onto my Arduino going. I typed in the error message I got when I compiled code into Google and came across many resources. This particular resource was the best : http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Troubleshooting#upload

It turns out that I had an old version of Processing and Arduino already running. So I had to make some changes.

From the page :

Make sure you have the right item selected in the Tools > Board menu. If you have an Arduino Uno, you’ll need to choose it. Also, newer Arduino Duemilanove boards come with an ATmega328, while older ones have an ATmega168. To check, read the text on the microcontroller (the larger chip) on your Arduino board.

Once I updated my software, and made the changes above, I was able to get coding.

SOME OF MY ELECTRONICS
PING))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensor – to detect distance

I tried to pull the code up from the Parallax site, but it just didn’t work quite right :

http://learn.parallax.com/kickstart/28015

So then I found this code, which DID work (thanks to Tom Igoe)
http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/Ping

I’ve since written lots of code.

And I also started collecting Local Resources :
Currently, I’m based in the Bay Area, so I wanted to compile some useful links to Bay Area hackers and hacker spaces -

• https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Noisebridge
• http://www.cornfieldelectronics.com/
• http://www.srl.org/
• http://www.meetup.com/makesf/
• http://lovetech.org/

While working on things, I started looking for other people working with the LED strip we’re working with. I found this fun video, and it showcases the Radioshack LED Strips we’re using :
http://lucyindustrial.com/post/34813957359/more-lighting-effects-this-time-they-react-to

I’ll definitely be posting more resources as we go – if you’ve got any questions or curiosities, post them below!

While compiling resources, I’ve also been following all the socialMedia’s online – below is a roundup of links, photos, and videos I found particularly interesting during and after the storm.

Hurricane Sandy – Social Media Roundup

Below is a collection of links I compiled re: Hurricane Sandy.

Storified by · Thu, Nov 01 2012 17:41:40

(#1) 2 Blocks of Art (4pm – 8pm)

Join the folks behind the 24 Days of Central Market Arts Festival for their special Two Blocks of Art event on September 28 and October 19, 2012.  The art walk showcasesover 100 local artists in 25 locations in a neighborhood rich with culture and well known for its cutting edge arts community. The heart of the art walk is 6th & Market.

The 2012 event includes an outdoor photography installation by 6^th Street residentRey Cayetano, Jr. and illustrated, life-size portraits of Central Market residents byJoel Philips, cutting edge fashions by Hector Manuel, and performances to live music by Tenderloin-based dance company Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco. Fashion designers, jewelry makers, illustrators and musicians round out this truly unique arts experience.

(#2) Critical Mass’ 20th Anniversary (6pm)

Justin Herman Plaza (foot of Market Street)
20th Anniversary Interstellar Critical Mass Ride
(with special Kidical Mass contingent, parents, children, kids of all ages: meet at Justin Herman Plaza near fountain, plan is to ride with the main ride and then peel off to Dolores Park by 7 or a little after (less than an hour of riding)…) ALSO:A Girl and Her Bike  (an FB female cyclists Group) is hosting a women’s ride contingent as apart of the main Critical Mass ride: Girls Roll DEEP

8pm
Bikes on Film:  Vintage Bicycle Film Festival, Oddball Films (275 Capp Street), Doors 8/Starts 8:30, $10 (This is a Benefit for Neighbors Developing Divisadero)

And THEN – As part of 24 Days Central Market Arts Festival, Dancers’ Group will present…

(#3) Niagara Falling (World Premiere – 8:30 & 9:30)

Aerial dance, film and a story of what America is
A street, two towns, a nation falling and rising

FREE
Wed-Sat, Sep 26-29, 2012
30-minute performance at 8:30 and 9:30pm

The West Wall of the Renoir Hotel
7th Street @ Market, SF
Click here for directions

“To stand at the very edge of Niagara Falls is to feel the water’s primal pull. There, where the roaring river drops away at your feet, you can partake in an ageless miracle.” – David Hodge

“The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is justice.” – Civil Rights Attorney Bryan Stevenson

Niagara Falling layers images of the cities of San Francisco and Niagara Falls with live dancers suspended in life jackets and a steel life boat. Industrial chains hoist the dancers up the side of the Renoir Hotel to swim against the force of the Falls and the Pacific Ocean’s massive swells.

Drawing parallels between San Francisco and the city of Niagara Falls – cities steeped in social contradictions and widening income gaps - Niagara Falling depicts the human faces affected by urban decay and imagines the possibilities for reclaiming the American Dream.

Choreography and Direction by: Jo Kreiter
Film by: David and Hi-Jin Hodge
Featuring: Jennifer Chien, Caity Beard, Sandia Langlois, SAM Luckey, Michelle Wong and Marina Fukushima
Music by: Carla Kihlstedt and Mattias Bossi
Lighting by: Mathew Antaky
Rigging by: Karl Gillick

This evening, I’ll be broadcasting Misnomer Dance’s 2011 season from the Joyce Soho. As I write this, there’s not a whole lot of performance being streamed to the web – it’s just not the norm (yet). I expect that will soon change and become the norm.

Even more exciting, during the intermission of the show, we’ll be featuring videos by other media artists, such as the one below by Brian Gibbs (among others).

I hope you’ll be able to join us tonight, at 7:30pm NYC time!

The Food Coop’s reasons were simple – or as simple as the Food Coop can be (I copied the text below directly from the Coop’s blog [link])

1. In January 2009, Silk – whose soy products were formerly 100% organic — reformulated their product line by converting almost all their products to conventional soybeans. They did this quietly, without telling retailers or changing the UPC code numbers on the products. Many retailers, including the Coop, didn’t find out about the change until consumers noticed and complained. The non-organic soymilks are labeled “Natural.” When we questioned Silk representatives about the change, we were told “there is a shortage of organic soybeans in North America.” However, it has been argued that Dean Foods (which owns Silk) “helped create these shortages by opting for cheaper organic imports instead of supporting domestic farmers with sustainable prices.1” (For the full report, please read the Cornucopia Institute’s Soy Report & Scorecard)

2. Silk does not guarantee that all of their soybeans are free from GMO contamination. Organic Valley’s organic soybeans are ‘Identity Preserved‘ – meaning each batch is tested to ensure there is no GMO contamination.

3. Silk is unwilling to share their sourcing information with consumers. Dean Foods “refused to transparently participate in the [Cornucopia Institute’s] study—depriving their customers of an independently verified review of their practices.” This stands in contrast to many other prominent soy food brands around the country that are fully transparent In their sourcing and production practices.

4. Silk brand is owned by Dean Foods - an agribusiness giant that owns over 50 milk labels around the country including Horizon Organic, a brand that heavily depends on factory farms each milking thousands of cows. Organic Valley is owned by CROPP Cooperative, a cooperative of organic family farmers. The Coop supports other cooperatives, wherever possible, and we try also to avoid companies that source from factory farms.

So – dear readers – do you do anything that might someday kill you? Have you been able to kick your Silk Soymilk habit? I’d love to know how you’re able to resist the smooth silky soymilk that goes oh so well with frozen strawberries and peanut butter sandwiches. I’m still struggling.

RELATED LINKS

• Download the report by the Cornucopia Institute
• Read the Coop’s statement
• Read this Village Voice Article about how Veggie Burger can kill you

And so, dear readers, I bring you this amazing video. If you remember the 1980′s, you’ll recognize this – it’s the intro to the television show, The Office, done in the style of Dallas. Enjoy!

I recently put together a contest on 99Designs to have my company logo designed (you can vote for your favorites below)

The entire process was actually really helpful in helping me articulate what I was looking for. Over the course of 1 week, I ended up getting 95 designs from over 24 designers. As a business owner, I loved seeing the variety of designs coming in for such a low price ($250). I also loved being able to interact with the designers directly. Most of them were very responsive, professional, and great to work with. However, only 1 of them will end up getting paid. While it’s great for me to get so many concepts and revisions, I don’t feel good about it. Spec Work (work done for free with the hope of getting paid, for the client’s speculation) is simply not a viable long term business practice, but it definitely has its advantages.

Below is a really interesting debate about Spec Work – watch it

Many people are under the belief that no self respecting designer would do spec work, or participate on sites like 99designs or Crowdspring. That’s bullshit – and it’s an arrogant perspective. Personally, I’ve participated in spec work. It’s called interning. But more to the point, I’m pretty happy with the concepts I’ve received so far. One of the designers I received concepts from had worked for Discovery Channel. People who say that you can’t find pros on these kinds of sites are mistaken. Could I have done better if I paid more money? Maybe. But I wouldn’t have gotten 95 designs in 1 week for $250. Then again, the American mantra of more is better does not always apply in the creative field.

There are alternatives. If you don’t want to participate in the industry of spec work, don’t participate in the machine of capitalism. For those looking for less drastic measures, check out Brandstack. You can read a bit more about Brandstack here : http://mashable.com/2010/04/02/brandstack/.

For more on Spec Work, check out these Links :

• AIGA’s Position on Spec Work
• Why I hate CrowdSpring
• Jeffrey Zeldman on why Spec Work is bad : http://www.zeldman.com/2007/08/14/dont-design-on-spec/
• NO!SPEC – to educate the public about spec work

Would you participate in Spec Work (either as a creative or as a client)? Is Spec Work Evil? Let us know what you think!

Below is the teaser video (made by theLab) – who did a full rebranding of Comedy Central – produced a super slick and interesting video which gives a glimpse of what the festival’s all about.

A Few Quick Observations About This Video

1. There is no melodic score. Instead, the piece is scored by sounds of cinema and digital-life.

2. Bleeps. Cuts. Scratch. Static.

3. There is no actual video of the films. They are all stills.

4. It’s awesome.

What do you think about the video?

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
New Directors/New Films introduces New York audiences to the work of emerging or not-yet-established filmmakers from around the world. Presented jointly by The Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, this renowned festival in past years has uncovered talents like Pedro Almodovar, Darren Aronofsky, Nicole Holofcener, Courtney Hunt, Spike Lee, Kelly Reichardt, and Steven Spielberg.

Related Links :

• For more on NDNF, visit the official site
• You can also read more on the NYTimes ArtsBeat Blog.

This Summer, Elastic City (one of my recently launched projects), is giving walks throughout New York City. But these are not your typical tourist walks. These walks are led by artists. Todd Shalom, the founder of Elastic City, realized the idea while suffering from altitude sickness in Cusco, Peru.

The walks intend to make its audience active participants in an ongoing poetic exchange with the places we live in and visit. Artists are commissioned by Elastic City to create their own walks. These walks tend to focus less on providing factual information and more on heightening our awareness, exploring our senses and making new group rituals in dialogue with public space in the city.

The walks have been featured in TimeoutNY, WNYC, Wallstreet Journal, Gothamist, and other publications.

To listen Todd talk about the walks on WNYC, click here, or hit play on the player below

Browse the walks listing and rediscover New York.