The second Introduction to Programming class is this Thursday (and every Thursday for the next five weeks)! For more information on what this class is about (and to catch up if you missed a class) check the page on our Wiki. As a reminder, the class goes from 7pm – 9pm (or later if you want to stay and keep working). The class is free for members. Non-members are asked for a suggested donation of $5.
I hope to see you there!
HacDC will be hosting a Quantified Self Show & Tell this upcoming **[Sunday, May 22nd at 6pm](https://www.hacdc.org/content/quantified-self-show-tell-hacdc)**. Show up early to hang out and chat, and at 7 see presentations of self-tracking projects:
**Xaq Rothman**: Tracking smoking with CigLog, a webapp I wrote.
**Bjorn Westergard**: Dietary logging with Cron-O-Meter, journaling with tiddlywiki, carrying a gps logger, DIY pulse-oximeter.
**Erica Kane**: Using a Bodybugg to monitor calorie burn, and to confirm or deny common beliefs about weight loss.
**Elephant Ninja**: Using the sticker method to track and improve pull-ups.
**Matthew Velderman**: A total fitness tracking system, including key metrics, the system itself, and outcomes so far.
**Blue of [hello-the-future.net](https://hello-the-future.net)**: Every week I sit down with my guitar and make a new song for the internet. In my presentation, we’ll hear just how fast a musician can level up in a year.
Would you like to join this illustrious group of auto-hackers? Just fill out [this form](https://spreadsheets0.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?pli=1&hl=en&hl=en&formkey=dG03SW00eUxOUXAwdnZ3eFpuM0gtRFE6MQ#gid=0) to let us know about your presentation.
[Quantified Self DC Meetup event](https://www.meetup.com/DC-Quantified-Self/events/17505733/)
Ever wanted to see a robot play a 100 foot long harpsichord sting? Well now you can, thanks to HacDC members Alberto Gaitán and Elliot Williams’ new installation, Carrier, at Artisphere in Rosslyn, VA.
The sound produced by the piece changes depending on the how many people are in the area thanks to a PIR sensor that influences the robot’s servo responsible for “playing” the string. To keep it running mantainence free for the duration of the exhibit, the whole unit is trickle charged over its own drive cable. The robot and many parts of the drive system were printed on one of the HacDC’s 3D printers. This includes most of the pizo sensor that converts vibrations in the string into Carrier’s bassy drone, with the help of a microcontroller and base amp. Wanna see some pictures? Check em out HERE! But its way better in person and its only going to be up for a month, so get yourself to Artisphere!
More deets
We got a big mention on an article on Fast Company a business news magazine and blog. The article is about how hackerspaces are doing good things for the world. They feature the Tokyo hackerspace’s endeavour to help keep people safe after the earthquake and nuclear meltdown along with our Project Byzantium which aims to provide network connectivity in the event the traditional infrastructure goes down.
