July 11, 2012

SPARKFUN EDUCATORS HOST WORKSHOP ON DIY MEDIA CONTROLLERS

MediaLive event at BMoCA showcases performances, dialogue, and workshops on emerging audiovisual media technology

WHO:              SparkFun Educational Outreach Coordinator Jeff Branson, Developer David Stillman and Engineer Jordan McConnell

SparkFun Electronics

(www.sparkfun.com)

SparkFun Electronics (http://www.sparkfun.com) is a provider of parts, knowledge and passion for electronics creation. Its products and resources are designed to make the world of electronics more accessible. SparkFun also offers classes and a number of online tutorials designed to help educate individuals in the wonderful world of embedded electronics.

SparkFun’s Department of Education is dedicated to improving the way a new generation of electronics enthusiasts participates in and views science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The department’s hope is that the open-source model SparkFun embraces will improve the overall affordability and accessibility of technology, and will greatly enhance students’ experiences in these fields. The Department of Education wants to support a community dedicated to sharing knowledge and reigniting a passion for learning, playing and creating with electronics. Please visit Learn.SparkFun.com for more information.

WHAT:           Workshop – Building Custom Audiovisual Instruments

Part 1: Processing the Danger Shield

DIY gurus SparkFun Electronics will lead a workshop on using a Danger Shield and an Arduino Uno to create a hands-on controller for media performance. The Danger Shield mounts onto the computing platform to equip it with a variety of inputs and outputs. The functional possibilities of the hardware are endless, and artists can manipulate code to add visuals, lights and effects to their performances.

“The idea is to take a microcontroller and feed it into creative visual environments,” said SparkFun Educational Outreach Coordinator Jeff Branson. “We’re helping artists lay the groundwork for the electronic side of any performance.”

Part 2: Media Manipulation with Max

The second part of the workshop is a supplementary follow-up to the Danger Shield segment. Attendees will work with Darwin Grosse, Chief Learning Officer at Cycling ‘74, to explore Max, a visually-based, interactive software platform that can integrate with the Arduino and Danger Shield. This unique platform empowers students in the arts to harness the power of computer programming without being intimidated by lines of code.

WHERE:         Boulder Museum of Contemporary Arts (BMoCA)

1750 13th Street

Boulder, CO 80302

WHEN:           MediaLive 2012: Exploring Live Audiovisual Arts

Conference runs Friday, July 13 – Sunday, July 15

SparkFun workshop “Processing the Danger Shield” – Sunday, July 15

12-2:30 p.m.

http://www.bmoca.org/2012/04/medialive-2012/
CONTACT:    For more information on SparkFun Electronics, or to set up an interview, please contact Jeremy Douglas at Catapult PR-IR (303) 581-7760, ext. 16 or jdouglas@catapultpr-ir.com.