A first look at Maker Faire Rome 2015

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As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Makers do!” 

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It seems like yesterday that we were at the New York Hall of Science preparing for what was surely an incredible World Maker Faire 2015. And now just a few weeks later, the Atmel crew has arrived in Rome, all set to kick things off at the Sapienza University campus.

Once again a Silver Sponsor of this year’s show, you’ll find several startups and Makers who’ve successfully demonstrated what it takes to go from “the MakerSpace to the MarketPlace.” In addition to big names like Bosch, those inside the Atmel booth will include:

Acme Systems

Acme Systems designs and manufactures Linux-embedded boards, namely the Arietta G25 system-on-module with an Atmel AT91SAM9G25 at its core. One project in particular that you’ll want to check out is the team’s open source LED panel that interacts with a smartphone over Wi-Fi.

Arduboy

A crowd favorite back at World Maker Faire, Arduboy is an open source, credit card-sized console that lets people play, create and share their favorite 8-bit games.

Intoino

As seen on Indiegogo, Intoino‘s KITS provide a simple way for young Makers to learn coding and electronics while bringing their connected projects to life.

1Sheeld

In case you missed them at Maker Faire Bay Area 2015, 1Sheeld magically transforms your smartphone into one of 40 different reconfigurable Arduino shields.

Cosino

Cosino is an open source platform comprised of flexible, easy to-use hardware and software components. The team will be showing off their latest projects based on the Cosino (SAM9G35) and Cosino Enigma (SAMA5D3) CPU modules along with their carrier boards and other GNU/Linux embedded systems.

Qtechknow

Everyone’s favorite teenage CEO and whiz kid, Quin Etynre will once again be on hand with Qtechknow’s Arduino-compatible board, the Qduino Mini. But that’s not all, you’ll even be able to snap a black and white selfie in his thermal printer photo booth!

Bosch

Heck, even major brands are tapping into the powers of the Maker Movement! Escaping dangerous dark or smoke-filled structures quickly is crucial for the firefighters who save thousands of lives on a daily basis. Tailored for those situations, Bosch will be demonstrating a prototype of their indoor navigation device that’s built around the mighty Arduino and BNO055.

Atmel’s SAM4L powers Intoino DIY kits

Intoino – which recently surfaced on Indiegogo – is a comprehensive lineup of kits that allows Makers to easily build a wide range of electronic devices and Internet of Thing (IoT) platforms.

“Intoino Maker Kits are for inventors, designers, students and all creative minds willing to turn their electronic product idea into reality. [The] kits are LEGO-like boxes containing an Arduino Leonardo (Atmel ATmega32u4 MCU), Tinkerkit sensors, actuators and the Intoino Bulb (the smart WiFi antenna) that connects your Arduino and its sensors to the Internet for IoT applications,” an Intoino rep explained.

“You can [link] the Bulb to the Arduino and start programming it via WiFi without physically connecting it to the PC. Once you have programmed your system, the Intoino Bulb automatically starts to act like a modem, giving your project WiFi connectivity.”

At its core, the Intoino platform (bulb) is powered by Atmel’s ARM-based SAM4L microcontroller paired with an IEEE 802.11 b/g/n wireless module that can be used for wireless programming and connecting various IoT sensors.

Additional key project features and specs include:

• USB-OTG with intelligent host mode (independent from device power configuration)
• Automatic recognition of Arduino boards and USB connected devices
• Self (via power supply) or USB powered with automatic detection and control
• SSL layer for Secure connection with Web apps (Facebook, Twitter, etc)
• Wireless programming directly from Arduino IDE
• Memory storage capabilities (“store&program” functionality)
• Easy integration with USB Atmel devices

It should be noted that Intoino also maintains an official app store, allowing Makers to share or sell their projects. Current use cases listed on Intoino’s website include an automatic pet feeder, tweeting plant, gas alert alarm and a sound activated lamp.

Interested in learning more? You can check out Intoino’s official Indiegogo page here.