People Doing Strange Things With Electricity, Part Two

Post by David Nunez

Tonight at 8PM, nerds are beaming down to Cafe Mundi for the second gathering of Austin's latest art, technology, and culture forum: Dorkbot Austin.

Dorkbot is a monthly meeting of artists (sound/image/movement/whatever), hackers, designers, engineers, students and other interested parties who are involved in the creation of electronic art (in the broadest sense of the term). Dorkbot was started in New York in 2000 by Douglas Irving Repetto and has since spread to over 40 cities worldwide.

At the inaugural event last month, we saw a lightning bolt generator, a theramin, a homemade disco wand, and a hacked-up Nintendo DS. The geeks were squealing and, truth be told, so were we.

On tonight's schedule:

• Joel Greenberg demonstrates how to beat movie studios at their own game with his cost-effective zeppelin microphone
  
• disturbed members of Austin's very own Robot Group bring the relentless sea shanty singing "Babbling Head." Be very afraid.
  
• Rich LeGrand, from Charmed Labs, shows you how coerce a Nintendo Game Boy and some legos into a robot - one that can see images and can be controlled over the Internet
  
• jamie O'shea shows off creations including his Wamcam - a device that prints photos on your eyes instead of film
  
• DJ KDH spins between presentations.

In addition, you're invited to show off your dark, garage experiments (you know, he one that creeps out your neighbors and runs up the power bill) during “Open Dork,” a rapid-fire open mic.

Also, don't forget AMODA's event on Saturday for additional electronic goodness.

Dorkbot Austin 2
Thursday, July 13
Cafe Mundi, 1704 East 5th St.
8pm, Free!
"Very kid-friendly"