1:1 interview with Tristan Bel of NYDesigns

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“There’s no better place for hardware prototyping and building in New York City.” 

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We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Executive Director Tristan Bel from Long Island-based NYDesigns to discuss how his company is helping Makers get from the MakerSpace to MarketPlace. In our 1:1 conversation, we also addressed how NYDesigns and Atmel can jointly help do-it-yourselfers get from the lab to the fab. You can find our entire interview below!

Atmel: Tristan, can you tell us what NYDesigns does and how it fits into the MakerSpace to MarketPlace theme that we’ve been promoting for the last year?

Tristan Bel: NYDesigns is dedicated to the success of design and hardware tech startups in NYC. Companies in our incubator get three years of private studio space and access to a network of mentors and advisers. Makers can prototype their design ideas in our safe, secure 5,000-sq-ft fabrication lab. We also produce events and programs for a thriving community of creators and innovators.

Our purpose is help entrepreneurs turn an idea into a product and coach them through every growth stage; that clearly resonates with the MakerSpace to MarketPlace initiative. One never knows where the next good idea will come from, and more importantly, who will have the skills and stamina to lead it through to a viable company.

Atmel: What was the model behind opening NYDesigns in the middle of one of the most expensive areas in America?

TB: We opened in 2006 as an initiative of LaGuardia Community College to promote NYC’s economic development after 9/11, so we existed before incubators were cool and numerous. NYC is teaming up with people with ideas. The density of the city naturally favors connections and exchanges. It is also the home of many headquarters of large corporations that can become clients or partners. In my opinion, that mix is one of the main reasons why tech entrepreneurship here is catching up with Silicon Valley.

Software startups tend to congregate around Union Square. Hardware startups need more space, and still benefit significantly from our proximity to Manhattan — that’s why our large studios, which are located in Long Island City just 15 minutes away from Midtown and are more affordable than other spaces even in the neighborhood, are so attractive to cash-strapped young companies.

Atmel: We understand you attended the World Maker Faire New York back in September? Are there any key findings you can share with us?

TB: It’s inspiring to see hobbyists of all ages gathered around making. I was impressed by the amount of resources available to anyone with an idea, and how inexpensive these are becoming. Prototypes that required a team a highly skilled engineers and specialized equipment can now be made by a couple of passionate techies on their time off. That opens up so many possibilities!

Atmel: With so many Makerspaces popping up around the United States, let alone the world, why would a Maker go to NYDesigns versus a local Makerspace?

TB: If you want to start a company in the design or hardware tech industry, it’ll be hard to find a beautiful space with amenities, close to Manhattan, and open 24/7 (the lab is open during regular business hours) as affordable as NYDesigns. You’ll have the 5,000-square-foot fabrication lab in the same building, and be part of a community that will help you grow and overcome the obstacles you’ll inevitably be encountering.

If you are a tinkerer or simply need good fabrication resources, the NYDesigns FabLab is equipped with an array of tools both analog and digital, including traditional hand and power tools, a vacuum former, an FDM rapid prototyper, and a large format industrial laser cutter.

Atmel: How can Atmel partner with NYDesigns to help Makers get from the lab to the fab?

TB: Actually, this is great timing! We are about to start a series of workshops around Arduino for tinkerers; we’d love for you to spread the word. Also, we are expanding our development tools for AVR and ARM development. For example, resident companies Vengo, which designs and manages high-tech vending machines, BotFactory, which makes a desktop electronics-circuit printer with conducting ink, and Boston Biomotion, which is developing an intelligent rehab and sports performance device straight out of the MIT lab, would all greatly benefit from such a partnership.

Lastly, we have large spaces within our walls in Long Island City in which we regularly host events related to entrepreneurship, hardware technology, and design. We’re happy to hold joint events or make that space available to the MakerSpace community.

Atmel: Is there anything else our Maker audience should know about NYDesigns?

TB: There’s no better place for hardware prototyping and building in NYC. Email info@nydesigns.org or call us at 718.663.8404 — we’d love to meet you and show you our space. Come build your side project or your company!

Rewind: Atmel @ World Maker Faire 2015

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Maker Faire New York, Maker Faire New York — a show (and tell) so good we had to say it twice.

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Ah, Maker Faire. The only place that can you find everything from a 30-foot-tall, flame-throwing robot and a life-sized game of Mousetrap to a pancake printing machine and a floating head choir that sings when you press their keys.

Over the weekend of September 26th and 27th, tinkerers, modders and hackers of all ages flocked a jam-packed Atmel booth housed inside the always popular Maker Pavilion. There, we showcased a number of gizmos and gadgets that have successfully made its way “From the MakerSpace to the MarketPlace.” Meaning, this particular batch of startups have demonstrated what it takes to bring an idea from mere prototype to full-blown product, many by way of crowdfunding. Among those on display included the Kickstarter sensation and wrist-friendly Keyboardio, the credit-card sized gaming system Arduboy, 14-year-old Quin Etnyre and his Qduino Mini, former Pixar engineer Erin Thompson’s Modulo boards, Microduino’s super LEGO-like modules, and Zippy Robotics’ soon-to-launch Prometheus PCB milling machine. Oh, and who could forget big names like Bosch, Arduino and the one-and-only Massimo Banzi, too?

When it came to projects driven by our mighty AVR and Atmel | SMART MCUs, it didn’t stop at our booth either. In fact, countless others throughout the fairegrounds proudly showed off their embedded creations, with some of them even paying a special visit to our tent like PancakeBot, Zymbit, Dr.Duino and eight-year-old CEO Omkar Govil-Nair with his Arduino-based O Watch, to name just a few. On top of all that, several Atmel team members — Bob Martin, Henrik Flodell, Sander Arts and Artie Beavis — took the World Maker Faire stage to talk prototyping, Arduino, debugging, STEM and how to take your product mainstream.

So with another incredible event in the books, let’s take one last look back before flipping the page to Rome!

EXCLUSIVE: Ladyada shows off Adafruit’s brand-spankin’ new Feather board

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The yet-to-be-unveiled Feather board features an Atmel | SMART SAM D21, built-in USB LiPoly charging and a stackable header system.

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You know what’s so great about Maker Faire? Not just the showcase of pure ingenuity. Not the life-size game of Mouse Trap. Not the 30-foot-tall, fire-breathing robot. It’s the unpredictability of it all! You never truly know what’s going to happen next. Case in point: As we were biting into a few burgers on Sunday afternoon, we happened to bump into Limor Fried, who coincidentally was carrying Adafruit’s soon-to-be-launched Feather board.

“What’s the Feather?,” you ask. Top secret information, that’s what. The SAM D21 based unit features built-in USB LiPoly charging and a stackable header system that enables you to throw on various modules like an OLED display, Wi-Fi and GPS, to name a few.

Watch our exclusive interview with Ladyada as she enthusiastically shows off a few of her latest prototypes, which include a BLE version for IoT projects, a data logger and an ATmega32U4 powered GSM device. Don’t take our word for it, see it for yourself below!

A first look at Maker Faire New York 2015

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Heading to the New York Hall of Science this weekend? You’ll find some big names inside the Atmel booth.

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Are you excited? We sure are! Atmel is getting ready to take center stage at the 6th Annual World Maker Faire in New York City this weekend, September 26th and 27th. And boy, are we in for a treat! This year will surely be yet another amazing event with more than 830 Makers and 85,000 attendees expected to flock the New York Hall of Science. Once again, as a Silversmith Sponsor of the show, we’ll be shining the spotlight on a wide range of AVR and Atmel | SMART powered projects inside our booth.

Our team is currently en route to Flushing Meadows, where you will soon find us setting up our space in Zone 3. (Program guide available here.) Over the two-day span, we will be showcasing a wide range of gizmos and gadgets from DIYers and startups who have successfully taken their idea from the ‘MakerSpace to MarketPlace.’ Among the names you will see:

Arduino

Found at the heart of the Maker community, Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software.

Arduboy

Arduboy is an open source, credit card-sized device for people to play, create and share their favorite 8-bit games.

Keyboardio

Keyboardio‘s Model 01 is an heirloom-grade keyboard for serious typists, which features a beautiful hardwood body, an advanced ergonomic design, and is fully programmable with the Arduino IDE.

Microduino

Microduino are quarter-sized, stackable building blocks that allow Makers of all ages and skill levels to bring robots, music boxes and countless other projects to life.

Modulo

Modulo is a set of tiny modular boards that takes the hassle out of building electronics, giving Makers the ability to develop custom electronics for their project without having to design and assemble circuits from scratch.

Qtechknow

Quin Etnyre is a 14-year-old Maker, teacher and entrepreneur, who fell in love with Arduino after attending his first Maker Faire at the age of 10. The whiz kid recently successfully funded his Qduino Mini, an Arduino-compatible tiny board with a built-in battery charger and monitor.

Zippy Robotics

Prometheus from Zippy Robotics lets Makers create real circuit board right from their desktop in just minutes.

Bosch

Bosch Sensotec has developed a prototype indoor navigation device based on Arduino and the BNO055 sensor, which will enable firefighters to quickly escape from dangerous dark or smoke-filled structures.

And that’s not all…

Look who’s talking now!

Don’t miss Atmel’s Henrik Flodell as he explores the ways to Take Your Arduino Prototype to the Next Level on Saturday from 11:00am-11:30am on the MAKE: Electronics stage. He will be immediately followed by the Wizard of Make Bob Martin who will demonstrate how to Stretch Your Arduino Environment to Get the Visibility You Need. 

On Sunday, Atmel VP of Marketing Sander Arts will hop on the MAKE: Electronics stage at 11:30am to reveal how Makers with an entrepreneurial spirit can Turn Their Prototype Into a Business. Several hours later at 4:00pm, Atmel Head of Social Media Artie Beavis will moderate a lively discussion between Bob Martin, 14-year-old CEO Quin Etnyre, Arduino’s Tom Igoe and Dr. Michael Wang on the ways Arduino Opens New Doors for Educators and Students.

Go behind the scenes!

You don’t have to be a reader of EDN.com to enjoy a unique meet-up hosted by the site’s LEDitor-in-Chief Lee Goldberg, which will taking place on Saturday 10:30am. The VIP walking tour will take you backstage several of the event’s most interesting exhibits, namely Atmel. You’ll also walk away with tons of t-shirts, evaluation kits and lots of other cool swag.

Those wishing to participate are encouraged to meet in front of the rocket-shaped “Forms in Transit” sculpture, located at the traffic circle that’s just beyond the main entrance. The actual tour of the Faire grounds will kick off at 11:00am sharp! With only 25 spots available, reservations are strongly recommended. To RSVP, write Lee at LEDitor@green-electronics.com.

Can’t ‘make’ it to the Faire? Don’t worry!

You can always follow @Atmel live on Twitter for the latest updates, trends and happenings. What’s more, we’ll even be bringing the show to you live via Periscope. Stay tuned!

35 GIFs that perfectly express your feelings about Maker Faire

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Happy Maker Week! 

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With Maker Week now underway, Atmel is getting ready to take center stage at the Maker Faire New York on September 26-27th. Undoubtedly, this year will yet again be amazing as an expected 830+ Makers and 85,000+ attendees head to the New York Hall of Science to see the latest DIY gizmos and gadgets, as well as AVR Man in the flesh.

Once again a Silversmith Sponsor of the event, Atmel will be shining the spotlight on Arduino and a range of other Maker Movement-driven startups. Among the names you will find inside our booth include Arduboy, Keyboardio, Qtechknow, Microduino, Modulo, Zippy Robotics and Bosch. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to walk away with an Arduino shield and adapter board, along with some other flair.

Ah… there’s just so much to show and tell! And with the final countdown to Maker Faire on, what better way to capture and convey all those emotions than with these GIFs?

When you realize that Maker Faire is only days away.

When you wake up on the morning of the show.

When you get stuck in traffic en route to the New York Hall of Science.

When you spot the faire grounds entrance in the distance.

When you finally make it through the ticket line and entry gate.

When Arduino announces a new Atmel powered board.

When you see a 3D printer in action for the very first time.

When someone stops by your demo.

When people can’t stop talking about your project.

When you are given free sample kits.

When you realize there’s just so much to see. Where to even begin?

When you spot Massimo Banzi.

When… wait a minute… is that AVR Man?

When you come across a life-sized game of Mouse Trap.

When you proudly show off your new swag.

When you see a fellow Maker dressed in Steampunk.

When you’re inspired to go launch a Kickstarter campaign.

When you appear in MAKE: Magazine.

When you receive an Editor’s Choice Ribbon.

When you realize the end of the day is near.

When you remember there’s still Sunday.

When you’re surprised by the heat of a 69-foot-tall fire-breathing dragon.

When you can’t take your eyes off of the Coke Zero and Mentos demo.

When you arrive at the unbelievably long line for lunch.

When you can’t pronounce a project’s name.

When you prepare to do battle in the Game of Drones.

When you control an object with your mind.

When you learn a eight-year-old was the mastermind behind that project.

When the “State of Arduino” address is about to begin.

When you meet new Maker friends.

When the Power Racing Series brings your Mario Kart dream to life.

When a panel discussion sparks your curiosity.

When you find out that an Atmel chip is inside that gadget.

When you realize that Maker Faire is really coming to an end.

When you finally get home after an eventful weekend of making.

See you all in New York! For those unable to attend, don’t fret. Simply follow @Atmel on Twitter for all the latest happenings from the Faire. We’ll even be streaming some of it live to you via Periscope Fairescope!

A Maker’s palette for your next Arduino masterpiece

Every Maker out there probably has an area in their home that is littered with bits and pieces that haven’t found their way to the proper storage container. Searching through a sea of parts makes the prototyping process infinitely more difficult. That’s where the ProtoPalette comes in…

Karl Alexius and Will Pemble were having organizational issues when working on their respective Atmel based projects. When sharing similar difficulties, they decided to put their brilliant minds together and devise a portable, fully-customizable platform that enables Makers to create their Arduino projects all while keeping the necessary components readily accessible.

“We wanted to build and create with Arduino. But, every time we got started, the confusing mess of parts and pieces stopped us in our tracks,” stated Alexius. “Then it hit me!”

From these brainstorming sessions, the ProtoPalette was born. The device is moldable to any Maker’s desire and can help an innovator test, design and prototype nearly anything they can dream up.

“It takes so much mental energy to organize a simple electronics project that most people quit before they build what they envisioned,” the duo explains. “Because it is difficult – especially for inventor types – to stay focused on their creative vision and get things done, most [Atmel powered] Arduino projects die in a pile of unused, misunderstood components.”

Essentially, ProtoPalette is a large printed circuit board in the shape of an artist’s palette that organizes and makes sense of those Arduino components and sensors lying around. “Making with Arduino, you need one of two things. A bucket of sensors, breadboards, parts and pieces that have to be organized… or a ProtoPalette,” Pemble shares. “For creative inventor types, ProtoPalette lets you focus on your vision instead of keeping things tidy.”

ProtoPalette comes with a plethora of components including pins, boards, motors, buzzers, and sensors that each have their own specified area on the palette; therefore, sorting through each unit is incredibly simple, thus making access to them easy and more intuitive.

Those who attended the recent World Maker Faire in New York may have had the chance to see this nifty design firsthand — where it not only garnered quite the crowd but even an Editor’s Choice Award. During the Faire, our friends at Hackaday dubbed the innovation as “a stylized version of the old ‘parts and springs and wire’ Radio Shack beginner electronic kits.”

Having already exceeded its original $3,500 goal by nearly $2,000 so far, the ProtoPalette will ideally be shipped to its initial Kickstarter backers in November.

A look back at World Maker Faire 2014

And just like that, another weekend of making has come to an end but not without its ‘Faire’ share of memories. On September 20th and 21st, World Maker Faire 2014 attracted some 85,000 Makers, modders, hackers, hobbyists and veteran engineers from 45 states and 36 countries to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Inside a jam-packed booth (#EP24), attendees had the chance to meet, mingle and make a wide range of projects — many of which were powered by Atmel microcontrollers.

From announcing the new Arduino Wi-Fi Shield 101 and moderating a Maker panel to hosting a number of hands-on demos and meeting AVR Man himself, it was an incredible two days!

Here’s a look back at the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth in pictures…

Next, the Atmel team is headed for Maker Faire Rome – The European Edition on October 3-5, 2014. Will we be seeing you in Italy?

Arduino and Atmel launch the Arduino Wi-Fi Shield 101

Following an exciting two days of MakerCon and on the eve of Maker Faire, the team of Atmel and Arduino have announced the launch of the Arduino Wi-Fi Shield 101, a shield that enables rapid prototyping of Internet of Things (IoT) applications on the highly-popular open-source platform.

The cost-effective, secure Arduino Wi-Fi Shield 101 is an easy-to-use extension that can seamlessly be connected to any Arduino board enabling high-performance Wi-Fi connectivity. This new shield gives the design community more opportunities to securely connect IoT applications, ranging from consumer goods to wearables, robotics, high-tech devices and more.

The Arduino Wi-Fi Shield 101 is powered by Atmel’s wireless network controller, part of the Atmel SmartConnect family, and also includes the CryptoAuthentication device which allows users to easily incorporate hardware authentication capability in their design.

“In this increasingly connected world, the Arduino Wi-Fi Shield 101 will help drive more inventions in the IoT market,” explained Arduino Co-Founder Massimo Banzi. “Expanding our portfolio of Arduino extensions, this new shield can flawlessly connect to any modern Arduino board giving our community more options for connectivity, along with added security elements to their creative projects.”

Makers can connect the Arduino Wi-Fi Shield 101 to any modern Arduino R3 board, enabling connectivity to the Internet using any traditional Wi-Fi access points. It is based on the WINC1500 802.11b/g/n network controller which features an integrated TCP/IP stack, TLS security and SoftAP for seamless provisioning. It also features an Atmel authentication security device that can be used for keys, passwords or secret data.

In true Arduino fashion, every element of the platform – hardware, software and documentation – is freely available and open-source. This offers the Maker community to discover exactly how it’s made and then to utilize its design as the starting point for their own circuits. An open-source Wi-Fi library will also be available to enable users to write sketches that connect to the Internet using the shield. The newly-unveiled shield connects to an Arduino board using long wire-wrap headers which extend through the shield, thus keeping the pin layout intact and allows other shields to be stacked on top.

“Through our long standing partnership with Arduino, Atmel is committed to the Maker Movement and excited to enable more connected devices in the Internet of Things,” said Reza Kazerounian, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Atmel. “We’ve partnered with Arduino to develop a true turn-key IoT solution that will allow the community to create unlimited possibilities. We are eager to see the breadth of next-generation IoT products that this new shield will help designers achieve.”

For those heading to World Maker Faire New York, swing by booth #EP24 to get a firsthand look at the Wi-Fi Shield 101. Additionally, Arduino and Atmel will be hosting a Meet & Greet to discuss this jointly-developed shield on Friday, September 19 from 6:30 – 8:30pm ET at NY Hall of Science. Arduino’s Massimo Banzi and Atmel’s Reza Kazerounian will be speaking at this event and a number of innovative Maker demos will also be showcased. To attend, please RSVP to pr@atmel.com.

Since 2005, a worldwide community of Makers has gathered around this open source platform. And, Atmel microcontrollers were there from the outset, providing simple but powerful microcontrollers (MCUs) as the hardware side of the equation. Artists, designers, inventors, engineers, musicians and students alike have turned to Arduino boards — designed around Atmel AVR or Atmel ARM-based MCUs — to bring their ideas to life.

By delivering a unique combination of performance, power efficiency and design flexibility, Atmel MCUs perfectly complement Arduino and the needs of makers. More importantly, they come virtually pre-integrated the peripherals needed to sense and control the physical world. Atmel MCUs and Arduino—the original duo at the heart of the global maker movement. The just-announced shield will provide secure Wi-Fi connectivity for all Arduino platforms, thereby enabling unlimited possibilities for smart, connected IoT devices.

Preview: World Maker Faire New York 2014

Are you excited? We sure are! Atmel is getting ready to take center stage at the 5th Annual World Maker Faire 2014 in New York City on September 20th and 21st. Undoubtedly, this year will be amazing as an expected 750+ Makers and 85,000+ attendees head to the New York Hall of Science to see the latest DIY gizmos and gadgets. Once again a Silversmith Sponsor of the event, Atmel will put the spotlight on everything from Arduino to Arduino-related projects.

Our team is en route to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, where you will soon find us setting up booth #EP24. (Program guide available here.) During this weekend’s show, we will be showcasing a wide range of projects, platforms and devices from the Makers and companies inspiring today’s DIY Movement.

Even better, you don’t need to wait until Saturday for the making to begin! On the evening of Friday, September 19th, Atmel and Arduino will be hosting a Maker Meet & Greet at the New York Hall of Science. Starting at 6:30pm, join the one-and-only Massimo Banzi and Atmel’s Reza Kazerounian for live demos, Q&A with guests, a paella dinner and… wait for it…. a special announcement! Space is limited and RSVP is required. Those interested may send a request to pr@atmel.com.

So, what else will you find in booth #EP24?

Bob Martin, also known as Atmel’s Wizard of Make and Warp Drive Propulsion Engineer, will be demonstrating uToT Robots and hacking Hexbugs.

Dan Ujvari, Atmel’s MakerBot Magician and Senior FAE, will be showcasing some of his latest creations from a MakerBot desktop 3D printer.

Arduino will be highlighting some of its latest boards, as well as exploring basic principles of electronics and programming. Booth visitors will have the chance to experience firsthand how easy it is to make LEDs blink, turn motors and make buzzers buzz.

Quin Etnyre, 13-year-old CEO of QTechknow, will be hosting his robotics challenge, “The Qtechknow Olympics.”

SparkFun will be joining us in our booth to run a number of soldering workshops, where participants will have the chance to solder new PTH SparkFun interactive badges! Once soldered, these badges will become a trivia game. The participant can put the badges into three small interactive stations which have electronics-based trivia questions on them. If the questions are answered correctly, the stations add points to the badges. Each point adds a new color to the LED on the top of the badge. Points add up to discounts at SparkFun.com!

littleBits, who just announced the launch of the “app store” for hardware store bitLab, will show off a number of their latest electronic building blocks — perfect for young Makers and those looking to hop onboard the DIY train.

AVR Man, the Maker community’s favorite superhero will be in attendance for the first time EVER!

Look who’s talking! Don’t miss Saturday’s Curiosity, Imagination and Motivation: The Natural Inclinations of Young Makers panel discussion on the MAKE: Live Stage at 5:30pm. Atmel’s Bob Martin and Daniel Ujvari will explore the how the STEM initiative and Maker Movement are influencing young Makers and helping to create tomorrow’s industry innovators. The panel will feature Arduino’s Massimo Banzi, Qtechknow’s Quin Etnyre, and littleBits’ Ayah Bdeir.

… and wait, there’s more! We’ll be giving away a number of Atmel Xplained Mini Pro Evaluation Kits all weekend.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Tweet a pic of you and @TheAVRMan using the hashtag #AtmelMakes.
Step 2: Once your tweet is favorited by AVR Man, come on by the Atmel booth.
Step 3: Submit your contact information and away you go with a free kit. (While supplies last.)

Aside from kits, you can walk away with an Atmel Maker Bag, flair, stickers or even a pair of Atmel Maker Converse (which are amazing… and available for purchase).

World Maker Faire will kick off at the New York Hall of Science on Saturday, September 20th, from 10am to 7pm and Sunday, September 21st, from 10am to 6pm. Can’t make it to the Faire? You can always follow @Atmel live on Twitter for the latest updates, trends and happenings from the show. Tweet #AtmelMakes!

A braille printer, a retro robot, a marshmallow canon, or perhaps even a prototype of the next big IoT device? If you’re feeling inspired this weekend go and make something, don’t forget to submit your 8-bit idea for a chance to win $1,500 in cash, social stardom and of course, some Atmel swag.

In anticipation of this weekend, here’s a look back at last year’s Faire. We can’t wait to see what unfolds this year!

Maker Movement making a mark

With the World Maker Faire just 42 days away, the Maker Movement continues to create headlines across the globe. The drive to customize, create and innovate is becoming a modern mindset adopted by everyone, ranging from students and startups to celebrities and Fortune 500 brands.

“The next industrial revolution is right around the corner, and it’s going to be bigger than the Internet — or so says a growing army of hackers, designers, artists and entrepreneurs.” Writing for USA Today, Tyler Wells penned a piece detailing the rise of DIY culture, contributing its emergence to the low-cost, high-imagination level of makerspaces popping up across the country. “These massive fabrication facilities are like a cross between a business incubator and a manufacturing plant, with sprinklings of academia and community spirit thrown in for good measure.”

The convergence of various forces — a growing community, enhanced visualization, new applications, greater access to tools and increased connectivity — is fueling Makers to create gizmos and gadgets never before conceived, many of which are appearing on display at Maker Faire events throughout the world and crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. This new mindset is enabling everyone to embrace their inner tinkerer. Today, the everyday Maker has the ability to turn any ordinary object into an Internet-connected device with platforms, such as littleBits’ recently-unveiled cloudBit kit.

“With the right motivation and time on your hands, you can now go through your own personal industrial revolution in 90 days, and can launch a company or product within those 90 days,” explained TechShop CEO Mark Hatch. Furthering the Techshop CEO’s belief, Gartner’s Jim Tully recently projected that by 2018, nearly 50% of the Internet of Things solutions would be provided by startups which are less than three years old.

The speed at which today’s Maker’s can go from idea to prototype is absolutely thrilling. “The skill level required to produce a usable prototype or usable object has dropped precipitously just in the last five years,” Hatch added. Even more so, the shared makerspace is enabling for innovation to occur at an incredibly low cost. Wells elaborates upon Hatch’s comments around the movement, writing that “most entrepreneurs are able to cut their development costs by 98% through use of a shared space platform.”

Though, it must be said that the Maker Movement would not be garnering so much attention without the loyal and devoted DIY community. Hatch tells USA Today that the Maker Movement was a “community on steroids,” and the devotion to the ideal is something to behold. Of course, this bond between creator and craft will be on full display at next month’s World Maker Faire in New York City.

“The catalog of success stories is proof enough: The Square credit card reader, Pebble smartwatch, Coin all-in-one credit card and the MakerBot 3-D printer all came from makerspaces in different parts of the country.” The thing that makes the Maker Movement a real revolution, not just a passing fad, is the confluence of cheap manufacturing, cultural entrepreneurship and simple economics.

“Collectively, these forces are democratizing innovation,” the USA Today article notes. This convergence has paved the way for a number of Atmel-powered gizmos and gadgets to hit the market, several of which have even been successfully funded on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. In addition, the market has seen the emergence of lesser-known projects, ranging from battery-powered skateboards and low-cost irrigation systems for impoverished farmers to DIY smartphones and 3D printing pens.

But it’s not just about startup costs. Innovation itself is undergoing a fundamental shift, as major corporations like Disney, GE, Ford and even Atmel are now sponsoring Maker Faire events, collaborating with existing makerspaces or building their own to cultivate new ideas. In addition, a number of universities and government agencies are also getting into the action, which was evident by this year’s White House Maker Faire.

To further attempt to ingrain the Maker Movement within society, Noha El-Ghobashy of Fast Company believes the Maker Movement is reenergizing our youth to enter into the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The author writes that newfound “curiosity about how the world works and an appreciation of how determination and excitement can help solve real-world challenges.”

Lo’ and behold, the Maker Movement is clearly beginning to take hold within certain portions of our culture. With a creative and determined mindset, the possibilities for invention are boundless. Mark Hatch concludes that the Maker Movement community is making a serious impact and, “we’ve only just started.”