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My computer science teacher and I are trying to make and program an led matrix, (possibly like 5 X 5 or a little bigger). We started off with a scrolling 1 X 5 led matrix, but that the letters were pretty difficult to read and it was too simple, so we moved on to a srolling 2 X 5 matrix. However, that was still pretty dificult to read and didn't look great either. Neither of us have much experience with the hardware for excedding the maximum number of output pins.

So school has just started and that means that Gateway is open with its new manufacturing program. I'm really excited to take a few classes there. I also am looing forward to getting the laser cutter cleared as I'd like to get some trigger time on it. 

What sort of classes are you looking for? 

I recently moved from an apartment on a noisy street to a different apartment a few blocks away on the same noisy street.  I have wanted to work on a few musical projects that involve recording live instruments, vocals, etc, for some time.  The loud nature of my living quarters has made this impossible.  In my studio in the new apartment, however, is a rather large closet measuring 5.5' x 4' x 8.5'.  It is not luxurious, but it is more than sufficient for a vocal/small recording both provided it is treated properly.  To get it to a useable state, it will require some bass traps around the sides, some treatment on the door, and foam around the sides and on the ceiling.  

I saw the following ROV today on kickstarter. 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/openrov/openrov-the-open-source-underwater-robot?ref=NewsJul0512&utm_campaign=Jul05&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

Perhaps a potential project for the  space? 

Right now there are several spaces outside of Connecticut  in the Northeast that I'd like to go and check out:

1. NYC Resistor (Brooklyn,NY)

2. AS 220 (Providence,RI)

3. Artisan's Asylum(Boston,MA)

4. MITERS (Cambridge,MA)

Road trip anyone? 

I love robots. I love computers. And Im starting to love tools the more I get to try to improve on my n00b skillz. So when I get a chance to see tools and computers together that I can have access to in my own house, garage, or makerspace that I am happily a member of,  I think this may deserve a look as something to add to the space.  

https://www.inventables.com/technologies/cnc-mill-kits-shapeoko

TechCrunch just posted this article http://techcrunch.com/2012/06/15/mail-ru-ceo-starts-25-million-fund-to-spark-personal-robotics-start-ups/ about cool $25MM fund by Grishin Robotics where they are looking to fund personal robotics startups http://www.grishinrobotics.com/. 

Who's in? 

So I got this C2000 LED Experimenter's Kit from my Texas Instruments representative.  I have it setup on one of the PCs running the color light demo.  Everyone feel free to mess with it, the documentation is in the box next to the PC.  The kit itself supplies a license for developing on the kit via the USB. The kit includes a Piccolo microcontroller which has dsp functionality.  This may be a useful platform for the sign contol, and they have reference circuits for powering the LEDs.

An evening Google search showed that Mazak, the world famous CNC company has an office in CT! http://www.mazakusa.com/techcenter.asp

Road trip anyone?

I love kick starter and every other crowd funded tool that is out there. Why? Cause when I see projects like this http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/b9creations/b9creator-a-high-resolution-3d-printer

I get inspired!