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Local Makerspaces

Posted By Paul Grimsley On Tuesday, October 3, 2017
People like to build things. People like technology. Makers like to combine these two things and turn out some pretty interesting projects, ranging from 3D printing to even more complex projects.

It used to be a pretty fringe activity, and in some ways it still is. There have, however been robot fighting shows on TV and in the local area, that share some common interests, and other events as well. Barnes & Noble have held maker workshops for both adults and kids at their stores - making innovative use of the fact that they have a brick and mortar store. Writers like Warren Ellis have created groups in their stories that combine the ethos of maker groups with transhumanism, and some of that has moved into the real world as well, with people embedding magnets in their fingers, and such. A lot of local groups have sprung up, and the areas of expertise that they include is ever-expanding.

Gulf Coast Makers Consortium is a great resource for anyone interested in learning new skills or in making their skills available to others. Locally we have groups like St Pete Makers, and there is Backyard Workshop in Clearwater. Maker communities can have as their focus anything from producing food, to art, to 3D printers, to making available resources for adults and children alike who have a leaning towards STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

It doesn't take much digging around to find groups and events, and given the educational bent of most enterprises, a lot of schools are getting really interested in it, so if you have kids they may already know a fair bit about it. With this kind of thing going on, if you have any interest in science and technology, you should never be at a loss for what to do.