Happy Pi Day!

It’s 3-14 and that means it’s time to make bad pi/pie jokes! Won’t you join us?

This evening at i3 Detroit:

• Laser-cut a nice acrylic case for your Raspberry Pi!
• Savor Meijer’s finest gourmet raspberry pies!
• Share projects you’ve completed or only just started!
• Pun-ish each other with brutal wordplay and awful jokes!

Car hacking: Friday, 7pm. You’re invited.

Q: What has four wheels and fifteen computers?

A: Your car!

For years, I’ve described hackers as “greasemonkeys with cleaner fingernails”. The eagerness to dive into a complex system, the urge to squeeze more performance out of one’s daily-driver, the itch to tinker with something that already “works just fine”. Sound familiar?

As the computer industry and the auto industry continue to overlap, we find ourselves in an interesting spot: Cars are increasingly “street-legal cellphones”, with more and more of their functionality controlled by software, connected through data networks, and accessible to anyone with the right tools and know-how.

Tools and know-how are more powerful when they’re shared, and that’s where i3 Detroit comes in! From logic analyzers to CANbus interfaces, our members and guest community enjoy access to a growing complement of car-hacking tools. But people are the other half of the equation, so Friday’s meetup has two main goals:

1. To connect interested individuals, both within and outside i3′s membership.

2. To familiarize everyone with the tools available and projects afoot, including (tentatively) a demonstration of the OpenXC Platform.

This is the first in a recurring series of car-hacking meetups, which happen monthly on the fourth Friday at i3 Detroit. Come play.

Open Shop Friday

It’s Friday, and at i3 Detroit that means it’s Open Shop Friday! This is the perfect time to check out the space, meet some members, work on some projects, or just hang out.

If you’re reading this, you know the deal by now. 1481 Wordsworth, Ferndale. 5:30pm-midnight.

Also, a cookie for whoever comes closest to identifying that thing in the photo…

Maker Faire and After Party

Maker Faire starts today!!
Stop by the i3 tents and check out our projects!
Also don’t forget about the official after party hosted tonight at i3 from 8PM til 3am

Voting continues, Vote for the Tri3 at http://creation.redbullusa.com/#/?page=i3Detroit Remember to turn off your popup blockers for the vote button.

What you need to know about participating in the Red Bull madness

What’s this insanity all about?

Last year, i3 Detroit did so well in all 3 phases of the Red Bull Creation challenge (the puzzle board, the Chronotune, and the final 72-hour build in New York City), that we automatically prequalified for the finals this year. But unlike last year’s 4-person teams, this year anyone can — and should — participate!

So who’s going to New York?

Nobody! This year, the Creation takes place at individual spaces across the country. Red Bull sent us some video equipment to stream our build. That means that anyone who walks into i3 Detroit this weekend is part of it!

What are we making?

We don’t know yet! The theme will be revealed at 9:00 tonight. Then the clock starts, and we have 72 hours to conceive and create … whatever!

What should I expect if I drop in?

Expect to be involved! Whatever skills you have, they might be useful, and the only way to find out is to show up and dive in..

Also, expect a bit of paperwork! In addition to i3′s guest waiver, Red Bull’s production company has a release/waiver form that must be signed by anyone who might appear in our video stream. Please review it before dropping in. Regardless, expect around-the-clock activity, as we design and build and scramble for parts. There may be food, there may be news crews, it’s anyone’s guess!

Why?

Guts, glory, and cash: The prize purse is $10,000. And for the same reason we do anything else — because it’s just plain fun!