Robot Maker Girl Goes to Maker Faire NY

2017-09-19 | By jenntoso

Meet Allie Weber AKA Robot Maker Girl!

Allie is an inventor, maker, and builder from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She built her first robot when she was six years old, won an international competition in the 5th grade, is a finalist for the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, AND is the inspiration behind the Robot Girl Lottie doll. For Allie, there are no problems, only solutions that nobody has thought of yet!

We got to know Allie when she reached out to us via Twitter for some advice on a project she was working on. We've been pretty impressed learning about, and watching, her STEM journey as she tackles real-world problems with real-world solutions. In fact, we're so inspired, we felt we needed to share her story with the rest of the world; and what better place to do that than at The Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth - World Maker Faire in New York City!

What is a Maker Faire, You Ask?

Maker Faire is where “makers” of all types come together to celebrate and share friendship, creativity, family, science, individual and group projects, and to celebrate the Maker Movement as a whole – together! Makers of all types, from engineers, hobbyists, science groups, artists, and students, to maker professionals meet in cities all over the world to share their love of building, inventing, creating, and educating. World Maker Faire takes place in New York City and is one of the flag ship Maker Faires. And it’s just what you would expect - larger than life. Think county fair, science exhibit, side show, technology exhibit, and inventor’s platform all rolled up into one BIG fantastic weekend.

What's the Plan?

Allie will be experiencing Maker Faire by hanging out with us in our booth, interviewing other amazing makers, and speaking on the Make: Electronics stage. If you are interested in what she is up to after the Faire, you can find Allie on her YouTube channel, Tech-nic-Allie.

But Wait - There's more!

Along with Allie, we are bringing a Big ol’ Box of maker goodies! If you like demos, kits, product and prizes you will HAVE to stop by and see us. You’ll be able to chat with Allie, check out the larger-than-life Circuit Playground (the sibling to the 4’ one we brought last year), checkout the new Adabox 005, and take a peek at a really cool Shapeoko CNC deluxe from Sparkfun. If you are thinking of adding a starter CNC to your makerspace, the one we are bringing is perfect! It’s easy to set up and easy to use – perfect for beginners.

It takes a Village

The thing that is so amazing about the Maker Movement is the absolute devotion of the maker community. We couldn’t do what we do without partnering with some really great people. People that want you to love making as much as they do. Whether you are into electronics, wearables, the Internet of Things, robotics, or what have you – you have community support. I’m talking about the folks behind Adafruit, Sparkfun, Pimoroni, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Make magazine, Nordic Semiconductor and more.

Let's do this!

Maker Faire NY takes place September 23rd and 24th – this weekend, actually. If aren’t able to join us in person, make sure you watch for updates on the DigiKey and Maker.io social media channels. Also, there will be a LIVE stream from Make Magazine so you can participate in the fun from home.

Make sure you connect with us for the 2017 World Maker Faire!

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