LEDs in clothing? Absolutely. But Lynne also created a haptic feedback coat, intended to give the blind a virtual cane using vibrations that tell them how close they’re getting to objects. The project’s called “Bats Have Feelings Too!” and is a Creative Commons project that can be found on Instructables along with many of Lynne’s other projects.

Lynne brought her education in neurophysiology and architecture to a scale somewhere in between. To learn more about her background and her projects, check out two interviews she’s done recently: one on Body Pixel and one on Green by Design.

Due to Lynne’s schedule, we’re bumping our usual meeting at 8 to make room for her chat with us, followed by a choice to either join in our regular meeting or attend Lynne’s usual Tuesday eTextile Lounge (a global eTextile hackerspace via uStream) at 9. Join us!

(photo by Lynne via her Flickr)

When: July 16, 7:30 p.m.

Where: PS: One: 3354 N Elston (main space)

Free! Come on by.

(photo by Dave Clausen on Flickr)

Got a T-shirt that doesn’t fit quite right anymore, or maybe you’ve lost some weight and it fits like a tent? You love that shirt, but it makes you look like a clown? turn it into a flattering dress, or maybe stitch the pattern onto a better fitting shirt! don’t know how to sew? no problem! we have no sew designs, too!

Come to Pumping Station: One and transform your tees into something new for your wardrobe, or a new stuffed animal for your baby, or a new throw pillow for your couch.

Anyone from the sewing illiterate to those so experienced that they don’t even need a thimble anymore. Learn the basics of sewing, or just learn how to make something cool. Bring your old T-shirts, or bring some new ones, or buy a fabulous new PS:One shirt from us to experiment on!

Saturday, May 7, tour from 1:00-4:00 PM
Museum of Science and Industry
Meet in the Entry Hall (left tab on this map) at 12:45 PM
(suggested: underground parking, then you enter the northwest corner of the museum)

Members only: RSVP required via Eventbrite—members will receive a direct email invitation including the link to register at their Paypal email address (or the one on file for payment).

We’ll get to hear all about the Fab Lab program, both the larger movement and MSI’s involvement; about how MSI would like to connect with us on an ongoing basis; we’ll then get to tour the machines; and finally, we’ll all get to make something!

If you want to make something, design beforehand and bring your design on a USB flash drive (you can even get it checked out beforehand by Dan by emailing him directly: you can find his email address via the mailing list).

Recommended programs for designs:

• 2D: InkScape, or Corel Draw
• 3D: Google Sketchup, Blender, or any 3D DXF file output from any software

Machines available:

• two Roland GX-24 24″ Vinyl Cutters
• two Roland Modela MDX-20 Milling Machines
• two 12 x 24″ Epilog Laser Cutters

Free materials available will be:

• Red, yellow and blue vinyl for vinyl cutters
• Cardboard for the laser cutter
• Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) .25 and .50 thick for the Modela Milling Machines

For more serious projects, you can bring your own materials. Suggested materials and sizes:

Modela Milling Machines:

• up to 8x6x2.375 inches material size
• Machinable Wax

24″ Vinyl Cutters

• 2-27.5 inch vinyl sheets of any color

Epilog Laser Cutters

• Max material size 12×24 inches
• Acrylic Sheets 1/8 or 1/4 inch thick
• Plywood 1/16, or 1/8 inch thick
• Wood 1/16, or 1/8 inch thick

Get ready for an exciting afternoon of touring and making!

This exclusive tour and access comes to us by the generosity of the Museum; their Science Director Rabiah Mayas, PhD; and PS:One member and Safety Czar Dan Meyer, recently hired as their new Fab Lab Manager. Many congratulations to Dan! We look forward to working with him and MSI’s Fab Lab further in the future.

Straight from the source:

Build-A-Blinkie is where you get a kit (circuit board, LEDs, and other electronic parts) and solder them together to make a working blinkie. Basically, a little board with blinking lights.  You can proudly wear your very own blinkie as a pin or attach it to a lanyard as a necklace, or just put it on a shelf and let others admire your technical abilities.

We bring eleven unique blinkie kits to choose from, soldering stations, lights, and everything else necessary to build your blinkie.  The ability to solder is not required, and we provide as much or as little assistance as is needed.

We’ve been doing this for over 10 years now. Thousands of folks of all ages have been building blinkies – many of them who have never soldered before. We guarantee you will leave with a working blinkie!

Come one, come all! Build your very own blinkie at PS:One! More info about their kits here.

Quick crafting project: yarn words (and acronyms). Found this at Craft, but here are the full instructions.

I couldn’t find any wire reinforced clothesline, so experimented with thermostat wire and others: basically, check out the wire section of your local hardware store and test what they’ve got. You’re looking for something bendable, but that will retain its shape, and can definitely be doubled up on itself, hopefully flush, without a little loop at the end. Some wire types I found did this better than others.

Also, you’ll want to use chunky, bulky or worsted weight yarn, or else you’ll be winding for a very long time.

I’ve made three, and they’re pretty quick once you get going, other than having to remember how to do cursive and remembering that i’s and j’s have the problem of not easily being able to do dots with this format.

“Weird” was my first, then “rtfm” and “pebkac.” Other geeky words and acronyms may follow.

Patrick recently altered a sonic screwdriver to create a sonic flask. Here’s some photos.

And the video where he covers part of the creation, among other things: Things I’m Doing 300 Seconds of Fame.

For those that couldn’t make it or for anyone who needs a refresher after the workshop, check out the original tutorial or the follow-up to Steve’s workshops (includes details about supplies).

For photos of his visit to PS:One as well as a few other spaces in the Detroit area, check out Steve’s Flickr set. (Photo by Steve Hoefer, of ChemHacker‘s logo project.)

Come and learn how to easy it is for anyone to make your own light up signs, displays and decorations.

If you show up you’ll get the knowledge, tools, and materials to make at least three 4×4 inch signs, decorations, etc.  There are no prerequisite skills, you provide a warm body.  There will be a bunch of designs provided, but you can freestyle it.  Make holiday decorations, signs, name tags, microcontroller displays, or anything else that involves transparent and lighting up!

Email steve@grathio.com if you have any questions.

Capitalist Pig Roast* and Ice Cream Socialist
This Tuesday night!

$7 gets you:

Italian sausages
pork chops
veggie kabobs
and ice cream

Plus any generous food donations that folks want to bring to share.
(Not required: depends if you lean capitalist or socialist.)

Hang out, nom on noms and contribute to PS:One! Hope to see you there.

*no actual pigs will be roasted, just their parts. batteries not included. products provided exclusive of warranty and in an as-is condition. some assembly may be required. cash gladly accepted.

(photo by Anne Petersen)