Does more noise mean more collaboration at the Leeds' Raspberry Jam?

Absolutely not?

But could it mean more Maker style Meet ups as we move forward?

When the team from York Hack Space joined us at this weekend's Raspberry Jam our Maker Space got a tad more ambitious.

An increased range of activities and projects, incorporating Raspberry Pi and Arduino as the basis to hack with, gave way to more conversations, thoughts, ideas and inspiration towards next steps for everyone.

And actually, some new boards for some to consider too, but all to encourage collaboration and supporting ideas to share.

Robotic Art - click for more info

What could happen next? Who helped who?

1. A year 8 student brought along a Raspberry Pi photo booth project that inspired a couple of teachers to consider projects with that theme for enrichment activities.

2. Another Year 8 student gave us an update about her Raspberry Pi robot project and what her future plans hold. Extending her remote control hack?

3. Using Raspberry Pi with a 3D printer project to explore and stretch the Cannybot activity ideas developed during the day. Racing corner might appear at the next Jam!

4. The Water Color Bot from Super Awesome Sylvia gave another area to consider STEAM, different themes for projects and to launch numerous conversations about engaging inclusive and opportunities through computing. At it's most basic level, from plug-in, design and print, to hack opportunities each idea shared an enjoyment whilst developing and extending skills.

5. Arduino-based pledges to explore and hack with electronics activities - lights, camera, action.

Toolbox to launch a 1000 ideas

1. Wearable Tech plans using a range of tools as inspiration and stimulus.* Time to say thank you for those #ProjectBlackpool ideas for me!

And what about the post title about noise?

Well we used the Raspberry Jam as a testbed for a data project and to explore more ideas for an upcoming community project in the city. Digital storytelling using data as a focus but with a creative output.

What will be that creative output?

I have no idea!

That'll be decided by the group of young people who will build and hack their own project around the technology we provide, through a toolkit, and which they could add to.

The community had their own ideas at the Jam and it also gave more activities to explore after the Raspberry Pi workshops. The Leeds' Maker community will also be involved with this local project in September.

What we're excited about most of all is the students adding their ideas stamp and creativity which they'll share at a Leeds Jam. They're Smart Citizens of West Leeds and one device they will use is the Smart Citizen kit:

Smart Citizen

But will they build a project indoors or choose to create and make an external collaboration to tell their story? Whilst I don't think they'll be showcasing though a spreadsheet, we'll wait to see where they export their csv data and the resulting visualisations and models.

Excel for a reason!

There were peaks in noise levels at the Raspberry Jam. The data confirms that and also guides us as to when the device was internally mounted and when we hacked the deckchair outside, and planned a storytelling idea overlooking Leeds Dock.

Click for more info about Space Hack

More noise through more conversations or challenges and shouts with Space Hack? I like to think they're both the same :)

More resources:

Codebug - interactive coding and wearable tech

Bare Conductive - electric paint and Touchboard