The Bryant Park Project, February 7, 2008 · Where do you go when, let’s face it, you’re smarter than everyone else? Easy. You go to Dorkbot. It’s a monthly gathering of scientists, artists and designers doing, in their words, “strange things with electricity.” Started by Douglas Repetto in New York City in 2000, Dorkbot meetings are now held all over the world.

Repetto, an artist and director of research at Columbia University, dreamed up Dorkbot when he moved to New York City and needed a way to make friends. Dorkbot filled another need, too: it created a real-world forum for people to discuss and encounter the things they were talking about online. “I do think that one thing that Dorbot has been really good at is heightening the idea that to be in a physical space with other people is a different thing than sharing something online.”

Clearly, gadget-love and the DIY aesthetic have moved out of the province of nerds and into the mainstream in recent years, often reflecting technologies and ideas already expressed at Dorkbot. As regular attendee Joel Schlosberg says, “I’m not sure who said this, but ‘the future is here already, it’s just not evenly distributed yet.’”

More here. Thank, Alamo!

Fantastic Fest, the Alamo Drafthouse’s festival of fantasy, horror and sci-fi films, teams with dorkbot to celebrate Austin’s electric oddities.  We’re programming Fantastic Fest’s opening night party on Thursday, September 20, 10 pm.  Filmmakers, freaks, oddballs, gorehounds, sci-fi nerds, fantasy freaks and cineasts of all flavors convene on Austin from around the country for this badass festival.  dorkbot is proud to inaugurate this year’s fest with a parade of fire, sparks and digital daring. 

In the words of Tim League, the Alamo’s co-owner and Fantastic Fest instigator:

“We are also proud to announce that the opening night party will feature an electronic onslaught by Dorkbot Austin. This town is a hotbed for the crossover intersection of creativity and electronics/engineering professionals. What that means for us is a chance to sip cocktails while cheering on the loud, crazed and potentially dangerous robotic shenanigans of Austin’s nerdcore elite. Tesla coil in attendance, no pacemakers allowed.”

This special dorkbot event, which will include booze, food and all sorts of goodies, is only available to Fantastic Fest ticket holders.  Tickets are still available here.

Thursday, May 10, 7PM
[Cafe Mundi](http://cafemundi.com)
1704 E 5th St. (a few blocks east of I-35)
(512) 236-8634
Yummy food and beverages to accompany your dork euphoria.

http://www.dorkbotaustin.org

dorkbot is back. What do we have in store for you this time?
Colloids and immersive systems and Satanic anti-war song-cycles. Oh-my!!!

Line-up:

Brian Park

Virtual Reality in 3space: realspace, mindspace & cyberspace. If you’ve seen the film Lawnmower Man, you’ve seen Brian’s work. Come out Thursday to see his latest inventions.

Sean McCullough

teaches you to build a writhing slime demonstration that demonstrates how colloids react to sonic waves.

Jason Asbahr from Roxor Games

exposes Indie Arcade Game Development.

“Music” by themysterious H

who twists 8-bit synths in interesting and disastrous ways. DJ McPickleshittz backs him up with an original copy of Electric Lucifer.

Tempest 2000 for the Atari Jaguar

Jeff Minter’s magnum opus, this sequel to the coin-op classic Tempest is one of the trippiest games you’ll ever see. See (and play) for yourself with a homebrew rotary control on the big screen.

Spread the word about this Thursday to dork lovers near and far.

What’s next? We can’t spill all the beans quite yet but here’s a teaser of what’s to come this summer and fall: kidbot, evil dorkbot and Maker Faire. Sign up on the mailing list and don’t miss a thing.