Have you wanted to fiddle with electronics but don’t have the equipment or knowledge?

Last were contacted by an Italian Maker-collective called

WeFab.it, who are associated with the fantastic Arduino project for electronics experimentation and prototyping.

They were kindly letting us know about a new RS sponsored video series walking through RS’s new Arduino Starter Kit (£67), presented by Arduino co-founder Massimo Banzi (yes, that is his real surname).

On Monday, they presented their first video, “Get to know your tools”. The video explains how to build a basic circuit with the Arduino board, and how to use each of the basic components such as LEDs, switches, and resistors. So if you are new to electronics, this is a must!

They’ve got a programme of 10 videos lined up, finishing up with a Twitter Controlled Mood Lamp, which we here at Farset Labs will be really interested to see, considering our occasionally depressed Nabaztag…

We’ve been walking a few of the drop-ins through similar circuits, and these videos are going to be a great resource for education. And the Starter packs look pretty darned handy too…

Disclaimer: Depending on... ...

All the time, we’re talking to people about what we do at Farset Labs, and often, when we talk about our amazing community, people have two reactions:

1. Awesome! These people can help me learn and grow!
2. Ahh crap, I don’t want to butt in on their clique

Farset Labs is adopting a new membership model in the next few weeks to adapt to the different needs of the different types of members in the space. This both helps students and those of low income by significantly cutting the costs of membership, and provides a bed for more wealthy people to get access to more expensive features at a very low price compared to for-profit ventures.

The Current Model

As all members will be aware, the current model of membership operates at a fixed amount payable each month, with a £5 discount for people with valid student cards at recognised academic institutions. At this time, the membership fee is £30 per month, making it £25 per month for students.

Reasons for the change

A lot of people have approached Farset Labs with the intention of joining, only to be discouraged from signing up due to the relatively high costs involved. This is most noticeable in students and those with lower incomes. These are precisely the kind of people Farset Labs needs to be vibrant, so we need to tailor to them first. Similarly, more professional members have expressed a wish for more... ...

As our members and followers, will be aware, Flacknite is our semi-regular monthly hackathon, spanning at least 24 hours, which is open to everyone. It provides a bed, a home and an excuse for projects that have been put back, and a lively environment for more time-sensitive ones. As always, they’re catered with food and drink, which this month was generously sponsored by Instil Software.

This month’s Flacknite ran on September 15th and 16th, and brought to life several different projects. Several internal software projects marched onwards towards completion, piecing together our in-house management system and building control network.

Electronics and LED-testing going on into the night

The more exciting and eye-catching work took the form of some preparations for Culture Night, which has been making news throughout Belfast and scheduled for tonight, Friday 21st September. Robin, an artist attending Culture Night, built and tested several high-power LED array bars, to be used in his project to under-illuminate a table. His work will be on show tonight near the Hayfield Market in Belfast City Centre.

A... ...

The first Town Hall meeting is scheduled for Friday 21th at 1900. It’s going to be an important event for members, as this series of regular meetings will be your chance to influence the decision-making process at Farset Labs.

Questions and suggestions will be taken from the floor at the Event, but for those not able to attend, thoughts can be emailed to admin@farsetlabs.org.uk (reaches all three directors). Alternatively, if you seek anonymity, use the service at http://anonymousfeedback.net/ to send your message.

In other news, the Gilchrist and Co 5th Anniversary Eventwas held last Tuesday and, despite the fact they’re only supposed to be our accountants, Martin and Michelle threw a party that rivals any other attempt at Farset. The blackboard was heavily used and, with in excess of fifty people attending, valuable networking was achieved, despite the distraction of cake and wine.

All here at Farset look forward to jointly hosting Gilchrist and Co’s 10th birthday party and to many more years of them assisting... ...