The Maker Faire, which took place over the weekend in San Mateo, Calif., celebrated the do-it-yourself ethos. This manifested in both the "makers" who brought their personal
projects and the attendees, including the ones who chose to
interact with the projects.
The festival was the third in San Mateo, in addition to one held last fall in Austin, Texas. It is put on by the people behind Make magazine. In 2006, 20,000 people attended the Bay Area event. In 2007, that number swelled to 40,000. It is not clear how many people attended over the weekend. But if the hefty crowds were
any indication, the figure surely increased.
Here, a participant plays on 2piR, a project of Bay Area arts
group Interpretive Arson. The project tasks participants with
standing on a platform in the middle of a ring of propane-fueled fire
jets. As those standing on the platform move, sensors respond by
shooting fire from the jets. The project, a hit at Burning Man
2007, was making its first appearance at Maker Faire.
Photo by Daniel Terdiman/CNET News.com