Open Science Hardware Workshop at UMass Amherst

[pablo rey]

Check this 2 day Open Science Hardware Workshop at UMass Amherst by the end of June (contact "Don Blair" <dwb...@physics.umass.edu> for details).

Free registration

http://www.opensciencecollaboration.cc/workshop/Open Science 

Hardware Workshop

@ UMass Amherst, Summer 2012

Background. The open hardware community has been evolving rapidly in recent years, and there now exists a vast array of easy-to-use, inexpensive, modular and highly flexible hardware designs that are becoming increasingly useful for the rapid prototyping and implementation of cutting edge, accessible scientific instrumentation. This hands-on workshop is intended to provide a foundation for incorporating these new tools in ongoing research programs in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and related fields. Topics may include some or all of the following:

• Wireless sensors.Building and deploying inexpensive wireless sensors for long-term, reliable, automatic monitoring of laboratory conditions (temperature, humidity, vibrations, etc.).
• Feedback control. Maintaining e.g. the temperature of a sample by using basic electronic circuit components (thermistor, resistor, transistor) and a microcontroller.
• Data logging.Storing data locally, or on a remote server. Example: local vibrations can be measured in several labs, and correlations determined.
• Automation. Simple and inexpensive microcontroller setup for scanning through a range of parameter values in an experiment.
• High-speed imaging. Simple circuits for low-cost, high-speed image capture.
• Open source software tools. Popular, free tools for interacting with and controlling hardware.

During the hands-on portion of the workshop, each participant will build and test:

• A working environmental sensor that can be used in a laboratory; and/or
• A working microcontroller device that can be used for feedback control, data logging, and automation.
• Online step-by-step guides and code will be provided online in order that these devices can continue to be used and developed in the each participant's research laboratories.

In addition, short lectures and tutorials will provide an overview of recent developments and trends in open source science software and hardware, with in-depth examples of particular applications (3D printing, laser cutting, laser topography, and more.)

Timeline / logistics: The workshop is currently planned for late June / early July, is intended to last one or two days, and will include brief presentations followed by hands-on sessions. A large space with proper facilities is currently being sought. Each participant will have the option to build and keep their own hardware kit.

Registration. If you would like to register for this workshop, please fill out the reigstration form below.

Costs. Registration is free, but the kits that each participant will construct (and keep) will cost around $100 (hopefully less, if we can order in bulk in advance of the workshop). Participants have the option to work in teams and share kits.

[pablo rey]

Here the fixed url: http://www.opensciencecollaboration.cc/workshop/ 

[Jeffrey Warren]

Wow, I would love to attend this and to meet there with anyone from PLOTS who is also interested. Maybe we could also bring some DIY spectrometer kits/materials or infrared camera bits? Shout out if you are interested in going/meeting up there.

Maybe a great place to present some near-infrared camera work (chris F?) -- if others haven't seen this yet, you HAVE to check it out, it's amazing:

http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/cfastie/5-8-2012/stitched-panoramas-plots-ir-camera-tool

But when is the date? The website seems nonexistent so far.

Jeff

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[Don Blair]

Hi Folks,

Sorry for our rough-around-the-edges website -- we're still cobbling together our plan :)  Re: workshop date, we're aiming for a weekend in late June.  I just checked out the PLOTS site for the first time, and we would *really* love for you folks to come out and present here!  The citizen scientist orientation of PLOTS seems to very nicely complement / encompass our aim with the workshop, which (til now, anyway) had been to introduce local academic scientists to what can be accomplished with open hardware, and prompt them to start developing instrumentation in an open, community-oriented fashion. We're hoping to get a bunch of scientists who typically use overpriced, closed software and hardware to build a Jeenode, build an Arduino-based feedback+control system, upload some data to cosm.com, write their experience up as a tutorial on a wiki, and eventually return to their research labs with a useful kit and a new orientation towards sharing.  It would be great to inspire these folks with presentations about what can be accomplished with e.g. a DIY spectrometer (COOL), and for any of you to sort of evangelize the benefits / ethos of sharing knowledge and technique to these academic folks.

Aside / for fun: check out the weather balloon we sent up a few weeks ago, using a Jeenode w/ a Pressure Plug to measure temperature and pressure as the weather balloon went up to 80,000 feet and back (plot attached).  The balloon payload eventually landed on top of the Bedford VA hospital, and brought back some really nice near-space video (check out the POP at 5:30):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k5SxS7yCio

Nothing very clever compared to the projects you've been up to at PLOTS -- and it would be great to get your feedback on what could be done next year for the same course.

Hope to see you out at the workshop!  If it's alright, I'll just post updates re: the workshop content and schedule to this thread ...

Cheers,

Don

p.s. I'm in Cambridge today until early afternoon (headed back to Western MA) if anyone happens to have time to meet up and brainstorm about the workshop format, or what sort of presentations might work best.

http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/cfastie/5-8-2012/stitched-panoramas-plots-ir-camera-tool

Jeff

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[jessibreen]

I'm interested in attending and as someone who just started playing around with Arduino-based environmental sensors, I think the format sounds great. 

Cheers,
Jessi

[pablo k]

I've just found this project: Citizen Sensor http://citizensensor.cc/  a DIY and opensource initiative to encourage pollution monitoring. Were you familiar with it?

[Shannon Dosemagen]

Hi Pablo- Joe Saavedra who is behind citizensensor collaborates with Public Lab, but also has been working with Sensemakers on the Air Quality Egg. Ed Borden from Sensemakers is on this list and I think Joe is as well, if you would like to get ahold of them though, please let me know.

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Shannon Dosemagen
Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science
504.239.4642
publiclaboratory.org

[Ariel Levi Simons]

Shannon,

If you could get them in contact with me that'd be great. We'd like
help with gaining access to current air quality data streams for
hosting on GeoSense, as well as some information on obtaining and
installing the stationary sensors.

Thanks!

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--

Ariel Levi Simons

[Don Blair]

Hi All,

Thanks so much for the feedback on the workshop! Things are coming
together rapidly; meanwhile, we just wanted to send out a poll so that
everyone who is interested in attending the workshop could chime in
re: which days would work best for them, as we currently still have
some flexibility in our scheduling and want to include as many people
as possible. So, if you're interested, please fill out the form here:

http://www.doodle.com/m8cmmk3pqx3azb52

Just check all dates that would work for you; it's a one-day workshop.
And, as before, the description is here:
http://www.opensciencecollaboration.cc/workshop/
-- along with a place to enter your email / info to reserve a spot.

Thanks!
Don

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voice / SMS: +1-651-252-4765
skype: dwingateb