Maker Faire Orlando was on my bucket list even before I joined Make: in 2014. But one that has never set me up to join until now! In excited anticipation as I perused this year’s exhibition. How can you not get a little addicted to a private jet driving down the street, AI living in a pickup truck, portraits built from hundreds of hand-drawn words. Here are the first 10 things that caught my eye, so that means I probably have a lot of pleasant surprises in store AND I just learned that a second stage has been added, the presentation doubled and the demo line up, so I’m hearing from per theme park manufacturers to learn how to join the draw and lineup. The schedule is still being added!
1. PlaneCar
Steve Woodruff of AutoBeYours took the fuselage of a 1982 British Aerospace Hawker private jet and dropped it onto the running gear of a 2004 Prius. The result is a hybrid art car limousine that you can climb inside, with the vintage cabin, flight controls, and cables all in plain sight. It is street legal, with lights, signals, horns, and seat belts, and it stays within legal width and height limits. I wonder if it’s going to Maker Faire Orlando, which will cause a fun backup on Interstate 4.
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2. Freedom AI
John Bach’s premise is simple: your AI assistant should be yours. Freedom AI is a customizable personal assistant system where you choose the character, voice, personality and interface, and then carry it between compatible Windows machines. At the faire, John demos his own assistant, “Ghost,” attached to a heavily modified Chevy Silverado. Ghost hears and answers visitors through the truck, and a physical Ghost character adds to the show. We’re always looking for a “good dog” physical AI project at Make:.
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3. Missile Tracker
Retired engineer John Smith built Rocket Tracker, a system that autonomously tracks and films rockets as they launch into space. An operator controls a gimbal carrying two cameras with a joystick; When the tracking camera detects and identifies a missile, the system locks up and tracks it, while a telescopic camera registers the plume. In good light, John says the missile body is visible from more than 140 miles away.
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4. 3D printed cameras
Photographers have been building their own cameras for as long as there have been cameras, but desktop 3D printing has opened the doors wide. Photographer and printing enthusiast Jacob Bates has spent the last few years chasing his ideal camera by mixing existing open designs with parts he models himself.
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5. Curtis Epperson’s word mosaic art
From all angles, Curtis Epperson’s pieces read as bold portraits of characters, animals, landmarks and pop culture icons. Step closer and the image dissolves into hundreds of hand-drawn words and phrases about the subject, and no word appears twice. I wonder if he did a Maker Faire poster, I think he did a makey for Orlando a few years ago. I might have to ask for a friend ;).
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6. Looking back! Jai-Alai Heroes
Jai-alai is a Florida institution, so it’s fitting that Orlando studio Astro Crow built an arcade game around it. Looking back! Jai-Alai Heroes is an award-winning indie title that exists only as an arcade cabinet, designed, coded and manufactured by local developers. I could be on a special assignment from our editor Sam to learn more about this.
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7. Jupiter 7
Jupiter 7 makes a stand and a space-themed workshop. Laser cutters and 3D printers run live, handmade creations line the tables, and visitors of all ages can build their own space projects rooted in science and engineering. The maker behind it runs a small manufacturing and education business about laser design, 3D design, and, delightfully, beekeeping. I’m a sucker for a clever game to rethink a room and add a bit of whimsy at the same time.
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8. Orlando Ghostbusters
Who are you calling? The Orlando Ghostbusters are a community cosplay and prop-building group, and they bring works in progress, so you can see exactly how their gear comes together, 3D-printed parts and all. For a heartstrings, they also make small treats to raise money for the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
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9. Block printing with a modern twist
Warren Hart III, who works as Famous After Death, skips the carving knife. He designs his printing blocks digitally and 3D-prints them, then uses them to draw bold, original prints. You may recognize him from Maker Faire Bay Area but without Maker Faire Orlando, I wouldn’t have met him three years ago at Maker Faire Miami.
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10. The people who make it
What I’m most excited to see isn’t on the exhibit card: it’s the team behind Maker Faire Orlando. The fair is independently organized by the Maker Effect Foundation, and pulling off an event of this magnitude, from exhibitor wrangling to field trip day, takes a dedicated and passionate volunteer crew. This year I am also looking forward to connecting with fellow Maker Faire producers from Miami and Daytona. Every Faire is homemade, and trading with the people who build them in their own cities is how this whole network keeps getting better. (Photo stolen from Miami producer, Tom’s social for Maker Faire Orlando’s producer, Ian Cole’s recent birthday. Now ask for forgiveness.)
See you at the fair, Gillian! gillian@make.co
Create your shortlist from the exhibits at Maker Faire Orlando.