As the weeks tick away leading up the largest and 7th Maker Faire event in Europe, we have been given the scoop on some of the imaginative exhibits coming up this year.
Many countries are represented each year and sometimes they come back with newer, bigger and more creatve exhibits than before. We covered quite a few of them last year and look forward to seeing the new ones this coming October on our return.
Check out what we have to look forward too and join us if possible!
A device to charge your smartphone at night without risk to you or the battery
Since smartphones have appeared on the market, there is a question that has plagued us: Is it OK to leave them charging overnight?
Although, it is indeed a very convenient habit, the answer to the question is that it is not advisable. Owing to its characteristics, a lithium-ion battery tends to lose its efficiency every time it is allowed to charge to 100%. Moreover, this exposes the battery and us to risky overheating which, as news reports have confirmed, can have serious consequences.
Not to mention the environmental impact: By causing the battery to deteriorate ahead of time this means more electronic waste is produced, with obvious consequences for our planet.
However, an invention has arrived from Romania that can help us solve this problem without sacrificing convenience! It is the first charge limiter for smartphones.
Chargie, developed by Lighty Electronics, is a very small and intuitive device. It connects via Bluetooth and reduces recharging to the percentage that the user selects through the associated app.
With Chargie you can still recharge up to 100%, but the current flow will be optimized to minimize battery stress and heating. Result? You will be able to sleep peacefully while the smartphone recharges gradually and safely
Chargie is a unique device that opens the way to a more conscious use of technology, making it both safe for us humans as well as respectful of the environment.
Totem is the perfect tool to transform the idea you have in your head into a unique, real, and above all functional object.
Image credits: totemmaker.net
For a maker, giving concrete shape to one’s idea is usually no small undertaking! In fact, it is first necessary to choose the materials to be used, then build and assemble the various parts, implement all the electronic components, and then move on to creating the software programming.
This Lithuanian Maker has come back with their design that can address these needs, a construction system with detachable elements for makers of all levels comes from Totem.
Totem have all the major facets of creation: mechanics, electronics, and software programming in their creation. Makers will have the tools they need to easily build and manage a project.
Their mechanical components are designed to be easily cut and modified and are equipped with beams and boards, brackets, and plastic fasteners that guarantee total assembly versatility. Consequently, for enterprising makers, the assembly combinations are practically endless. They also have designed electronics to be implemented and controlled simply by using their own smartphone app, conveniently avoiding messy and tangled wires. In addition, the mechanical connection system allows makers to quickly and intuitively link new components.
Smartphone App
Regarding the software, they offer a mini laboratory equipped with measurement tools and ready-to-use electronic blocks, for those who want to learn and experiment with the basics of electronics and Arduino coding.
The first open source security key for secure web authentication
Solo — SoloKeys (photo: solokeys)
A simple to use device that keeps the user safe from phishing, identity theft, and other network attacks.
If, on the one hand, the Internet has opened up an infinite series of possibilities and has given us access to myriad sources of news and information, on the other, it exposes us daily to the attack of those who want to use our data for illicit purposes. Phishing and digital identity theft are just some of the attacks that we hear about every day, and for this reason, IT security developers are always looking for new and effective protection devices.
Solo – Open Source Security Key is one of these devices. In fact, it is the first open source security key that supports the new FIDO2 standard for passwordless online authentication security.
It can work seamlessly on many different platforms, such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, Github, and many others. After logging in, just insert it into the USB port of your computer and click on its button to activate access. This operation takes only a few seconds and provides maximum security for user data.
The Californian Maker has made them open source and for those who want to try their hand – they can be customized starting from the original hardware or firmware.
Come and discover this project at the Maker Faire Rome – the European Edition 2019, the world-famous innovative technology fair that will be held from 18 to 20 October at the Fiera di Roma. Come discover it and a thousand other ideas!