Featured Maker: 3D printed R2-D2

Maker Geoff Pavey has created a fully 3D printed remote controlled R2-D2 robot. This project has taken almost 2 years to complete. It is made from hundreds of PLA, PLU and PETG plastic parts glued together. Assembly involved a lot of sanding, bondo, painting, more sanding etc. Motors and servos are connected to multiple Arduino boards for control. The head of the robot spins, all of the dome lights work, the panels open and the holo projectors move. The feet motors are from a motorized razor scooter. The whole thing runs on 18v Ryobi power tool batteries. The sounds and animations are run from an app on a phone and the dome and foot drives are controlled with a PS3 controller.

Featured Maker: FIRST Robotics Competition Team 8727 GLITCH 2.0

FIRST Robotics Competition Team 8727 GLITCH 2.0 is based out of Asheville High School. This rookie team is growing from the remains of the original GLITCH team, and now has over 30 members! The FIRST Robotics Competition combines the excitement of sports with the rigors of science and technology to form the ultimate Sport for the Mind. These high-school student participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.” Under strict rules, limited time and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents to guide each team. Each season ends with an exciting FIRST Championship.

The GLITCH 2.0 team will complete the 2022 season in April and start their vigorous outreach program because they are “more than robots”. They strive to connect with their community and spread the message of STEM to all, but especially to disadvantaged or underrepresented youth. They will bring their robot to Maker Faire to allow live interactive demonstration. 

Featured Maker: Lee Magination

Lee Magination is the vision of Ayran Lee, creating a variety of original 3D printed dragons and other creatures. These models have ball and socket joints which allow them to be articulated and repositioned. The dragons’ size ranges from around 12 inches to 15 inches. Each dragon has its own unique color scheme ranging from every color in the rainbow. Each design is uniquely detailed to the personality of the dragon. Some dragons have backs covered in spikes, some have a serpent-like body with four wings and some have spinning buzz saw coming out of its back.

A gallery with more examples is available at https://lee-magination.com