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Revision as of 14:09, 31 July 2011

Welcome to Bloominglabs, Bloomington's very own hackerspace!

Sign up to the announcement list to keep up with our group. Follow us on Twitter @Bloominglabs and Facebook. Our IRC server is at irc.bloominglabs.org:6667, #hackerspace. We can also be reached via old fashioned email at contact (]at[) bloominglabs dot o r g.

Who are we?

Bloominglabs was forged from the Bloomington Hackerspace Initiative and the former IU Robotics Club. We are a bunch of people that want to do interesting things and explore the world and technology around us.

We have found a new space!

We are now the proud leasers of a new space! It's 1,000 sq ft of which 750 sq ft is unfinished, cement floor workspace and 250 sq ft is finished office space for hanging out. There's also a full bathroom. The address is 3927 W. Roll Avenue which is just north of 2nd Street up Curry Pike. Come check it out!

Workshops

• Getting Started with the Arduino
  • When: August 23rd from 6:30pm until 8:30pm
  • Where: Bloominglabs
  • Cost: $20
  • The class are limited to six people so signup early!
  • Who should attend: People who want to learn how to get started using the arduino board. Attendees will learn
    • How to get the arduino software
    • Where to order a board
    • How to connect the board to the computer
    • How to connect LEDs to the board
    • The very basics of programming to write a small program to flash the LEDs.
  • The class attendees will be using a computer so basic knowledge of Windows and typing skills would be required. Kids are welcome but under 15 need to be accompanied by a parent.
  • Attendees are not required to bring anything and will leave with a hand out of material of the class.
  • Attendees will also have the option of purchasing an Arduino
  • Contact jsissom (at) bloominglabs (dot) org with questions or to reserve a space
  • This course is a good introductory course to how to use a microprocessor to people who have little programming or computer experience.

Current Events (PastEvents)

• Every Wednesday from 7pm until 10pm
  • Public hack meetings!
  • Come build projects, ask questions, teach things, and learn stuff
  • All ages and everyone is welcome

• Wonderlab BugBot Workshop
  • Aug 13th 1-3pm
  • Contact Wonderlabs to register

• Workshop
  • Aug 23rd from 6:30pm til 8:30pm at Bloominglabs
  • Cost: $20
  • Contact: jsissom (at) bloominglabs (dot) org for more info

What is a hacker space?

It's a physical location where people can share resources for their own creative pursuits. It's also a resource where people can come in off the street and advance their own knowledge. In urban locations it can often be hard to find places to weld/build/make noise and keep projects on-going without having to tear down and put-up your work each evening. With a hacker space people can work on their projects and not worry about annoying their neighbors or spouses. The social aspect is also incredibly important component. Having people to bounce ideas off of and discuss your projects with when you get stuck is a great thing.

Membership

We are accepting memberships! Please see the Membership Manual for details.

Meetings

Currently we meet every Wednesday at 7:00pm at 3927 W. Roll Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana. These meetings are open to the public, anyone is welcome to attend. We usually meet for 2-3 hours and have a lot of fun. Having access to tools is only part of the equation, socializing with people and learning from each other is another large benefit from our group. Pretty much whatever people want to work on or learn is fair game. We currently have an electronics and robotics focus but there's also interest in general science and astronomy as well. If it's cool and interesting then we are all interested.

• Meeting_Minutes
• Bloominglabs Log

Current Projects

Projects

What needs to be done yet?

Check out the Todo list to see the latest things we need to get done.

Also see who else is working on this project: Special:ListUsers

Uploaded files: Special:ImageList

Nearby Hacker Spaces or initiatives:

• Hive13 (Cincinnati, OH)
• LVL1 (Louisville Kentucky)
• Vault404 (Louisville Kentucky)
• Collexion (Lexington Kentucky)
• Pumping Station: One (Chicago)
• Dayton Diode
• Detroit Facility
• i3 Detroit

Other Cool Groups in Bloomington

• Collective Press -- a non-profit community print shop.
• Indiana Filmmakers Network -- provides support, camaraderie and resources to filmmakers.
• Bloomington Amateur Radio Club
• Indiana University Amateur Radio Club