Maker Faire 2016

After the amazing time we had at Maker Faire last year, we were looking forward to attending again this year. Looking at all the info, it seemed like there are lots of interesting things to do as well...

However, things did not turn out as expected.

When we arrived, it was drizzling abit. We were given a map and they explained to us the various areas they had. So we started walking around on our own. You were supposed to walk through everything and then last stop, you collect you free gift....

First we were in the area where students from local polytechnics and universities were showing off their creations. Given Ace's new found interest in robots, I thought he would be interested to take a look and ask some questions....

We saw this machine that plays music when you wind it...

Pretty amazing.. just too much work to keep winding:) hahahaha...

THen there is this one who made some sort of launcher that work s like a super big Nerf Gun.. I tot Ace would be interested to try but he just stand there and stare....

Some children walked near, showed interest and asked questions and the gor gor started explaining how the machine works...

We saw someone selling pottery.. Max said I should take a pic to show our friend Grace who is currently making and conducting pottery lessons;)

THis is a racing car track made entirely out of recycled boxes.... made by primary school students... COOL!:)

Too bad the children were still fixing the cars so no one was racing:)

Really love this leaf-inspired pottery.. very nice!:)

Fancy turning your old PC monitors into retro- arcade machines? Yes, they are here again:) Though I really think it is a very cool idea, I also think it is a bad idea since Ace will definitely spend alot of time on it!:) hahahaha... They now even have miniature versions!

This is some sort of experiment... by placing the two nodes on your arms... when you move your fingers, the robot hands attached to the same machine will move in the same way... so amazing right?

Ace wanted to try but it seemed to take very long to queue for one's turn.. so he did not...

At this point, I noticed he start to look very upset.... and he keeps walking aimlessly here and there and doesnt want to try or look at anything... I follow him around and feel very stupid lor...

So I thought maybe we can venture out. THere is this area, you can pay to make your own rocket and launch it at their launch pad...

I took this photo because I thought this gateway look very nice. I wonder why there is a sudden gateway like this in this place.. reminds me of the one I saw at Hawaii's airport...

Remote control modified nerf gun... But even this did not gather much interest from Ace!

We came to this area where there are lots of yarn knitted stuff that is used to decorate things... reminds me of the time I saw this in Dubai....

And Ace will walk around aimlessly with a black face.. in the end, I fed up and scold him lah... THEN he told me that he had seen someone holding on to a table soccer set that is made out of cardboard and he wanted to find out where he could make one...

Wah lau eh, say earlier lah.. make me go on a wild goose chase....

Something like this...


But no matter how i tried, I could not find it.. so I figured it was probably the product of some workshop that they conducted lor...

 I did find some other interesting things... like this...

And more Yarn Bombing:)

So cute hor:)

And some great ideas to recycle plastic bottles and make them into flower pots:)

So after searching for some time and not finding anything, I told Ace we have to give up... and he was sad.....

Thank goodness we went to the intel area and saw a REAL soccer table and so Ace went to queue up to get his chance to play:)

THat got him started to be interested in the various exhibits in that area... Intel saved my life! hahahah.. THis is THOR's hammer that they made.. but the magnet is spoilt... so cannot try lifting it...

Can play liao... someone finally "song" liao lor...

If you are wondering why intel counter has a table soccer thingy.. it is cos the score keeping machine on it is powered by the intel Edison chip..:)

This light sabre that Ace is holding on to is made by students. THey have a machine inside which uses the INtel Edison Chip to track information like how fast you swing the lightsabre and what direction you are swinging it at....

Up one level.. wear the mask!:)

Then there is this robot that has a camera and you can remove control it to go into places where it may be dangerous for humans to go to to take a look at what is happening...

Then there are these PD loggers for patients with Parkinson's Disease ... you will wear it around your neck and if you fall it will track and can send pple to help you quickly.. or if your GAIT syndrome is extreme..they can already dispatch someone to you.. But unfortunately cannot like PREVENT falls.. they are still upgrading it...

So how I know? I KPO and ask them questions lah:) hahaaha

Remember the lady whose dog leash got caught by closing lift doors? Here is a solution that will prevent lift doors from closing if the smallest thing got stuck in between the doors....

This is auto watering system...

All powered by the intel Edison chip:)

Look what we found?! It is Potato head in various star wars and super hero outfits...

They were given robotic arm that when connected to some chip, can MOVE and you can even connnect to chip to a light bulb to light the eyes up..

Then we saw this cute looking keyboard tat will let the letters you type dance right outside your keyboard...

Ok here is a better youtube video I found...


I asked the inventor what uses there is for this keyboard and he says he really invented this for fun:) haha... That being said, it is very cool:)

The rain got smaller so we went outdoors again and found out someone invented a HOVERBOARD.. cannot hover alot lah.. but it is really hovering! cool!

Ace saw some people playing with foam swords they made and said he wanted to make it.. but when we went to ask.. we found out the whole workshop is two hours.. we dun have two hours lor..

We finally walked to the area where they are selling all the robots and stuff...

And we saw some interesting things like this Raspberry Pi kit:)

Ace trying out this robotic hand that is linked to your fingers...

Real life BB8?!

Ace got interested in this cos you can build this machine that shoots stuff... anything weapons he is game.. BUT leh, I think we should think abit then decide whether to buy.. so I told Max not to buy first... cos he always like something and then buy liao never use one..

Can also build other games...

And then we collected our freebie.. last year was an electronic set to make something... this year is very sad.. is some paper thingy you tear out to stick and make... quite a disappointment considering I had to walk so far to collect it...

Then it was time to go home.. But on our way out, Ace cannot help but be attracted by this machine tat can solve rubik cube puzzles in a few seconds!

All in all, this year was not as enjoyable as last year.. mainly because Ace is interested in more hands on stuff and this year we saw more "exhibits" sort of stuff....

As Ace was starting school the next day and his school shoes were totally spoilt, we went to buy his shoe and afterwards, went to pick up the tickets I won for NDP preview at National Stadium.

Because there was a queue.. and Ace was complaining that he is tired and thirsty, I suggested that I queue and the boys go get a drink first....

They were so happy to find some place with free flow soft drinks!

ANd interesting beer...

Then it was time for dinner and Ace said he wanted to go back to the japanese restaurant we visited during the Para games because he missed the special drink he had there....

We saw these wasabi fries and Ace said he wanted to order them!

And Max was as usual, bz WORKING...

Ace's fav drink... coke with ice cream and popsicle!

Watch it fizzle!

Then we went supermarket shopping... and found the Brinjals infested with WORMS!!!

Maybe it means they aer very fresh and free from chemicals.. but... EEEEEE... cannot help but go tell the staff to pls remove them!:)

Found Dory and took photo with her for the game... too bad we did not win anything though...

ANd then it was time to go home... because... TOMORROW GOT SCHOOL LOR:)

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