Mike Warren (designer)
Mike Warren | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael Warren 22 August 1980 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Education | Bachelor of Technology, British Columbia Institute of Technology |
| Known for | DIY, inventor, new media, Instructables, author |
| Notable work | Glow table, head in jar prank, cookie monster rug, iStab, dinosaur heels, nitro coffee |
| Movement | maker culture, DIY ethic, open source |
| Awards | New York Times Magazine Innovation Whiteboard winner |
| Website | michaelsaurus |
Mike Warren (born August 22, 1980) is a designer and artist based in San Francisco. His work combines electronics, woodworking, and repurposing using physical fabrication to make prototypes in line with the maker culture. His open source work is professionally documented to inspire others to follow along.[1][2] Warren believes that by keeping ideas open-sourced the barrier to participation is significantly lowered and transfers a static audience to an active participant.[3][4]
Warren is the author of a maker book for young adults 23 Things to do before you are 11 1/2,[5] as well as 2 all-ages books about making [6] ,[7] and served as the technical editor for the young adult fiction Dewey Mac Kid Detective[8] (which was successfully funded on Kickstarter and publishing in 2015).[9]
Mike Warren won The New York Times Innovation Whiteboard in 2012 and was the favorite selected by James Dyson.[10]
Warren is currently a designer with Instructables and Autodesk.
Achievements
Warren won The New York Times Innovation Whiteboard in 2012 for his umbrella light, an illumination device retrofitted into the shaft of an umbrella to indicate location to others in the dark, and was the favorite selected by James Dyson. Dyson commented on Warren's invention calling it "a good precaution for pedestrians at night or in fog — and a bright idea in the evolution of the umbrella."[11]
Notable Projects
Mike Warren has build videos available on his YouTube channel.
In 2014, Warren created a glow in the dark (phosphorescence) table made from photoluminescent powder mixed with clear casting resin set into Pecky Cypress.[12] This table was later republished in Wired UK magazine in 2015.[13] The video tutorial has over 2.5 million views.[14]
In 2014, Warren built a centrifuge from an old circular saw. The centrifuge was designed as a molecular gastronomy experiment to separate food, and can achieve 1800 g-force.[15]
In 2012, Warren was featured in Popular Science Magazine for his project concealing a battery operated soldering iron inside an airsoft gun. The airsoft pistol had a removable ammunition clip which the batteries for the soldering iron were hidden, the trigger action activated the soldering iron.[16]
Published Works
- 23 Things To Do Before You are 11 1⁄2: (2015) - QEB Publishing, 64 pages, ISBN 978-1609928254
- Office Weapons (2013) - Skyhorse Publishing, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1620877081
- Backyard Rockets (2013) - Skyhorse Publishing, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1620877302
References
- ^ "Cool job: Get paid to whip up fabulous Halloween costumes". SF Gate. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
- ^ http://www.instructables.com/member/mikeasaurus
- ^ "How YouTube inspired a new generation of DIY makers". DailyDot. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ "Why are brands dying to take a bite out of Millennial makers?". DigiDay. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
- ^ "23 Things To Do Before You are 11 1/2: A practical step-by-step guide for things to make in your backyard".
- ^ "Backyard Rockets: Learn to Make and Launch Rockets, Missiles, Cannons, and Other Projectiles". Amazon.
- ^ "Office Weapons: Catapults, Darts, Shooters, Tripwires, and Other Do-It-Yourself Projects to Fortify Your Cubicle". Amazon.
- ^ http://www.deweymac.com/
- ^ "Dewey Mac, Kid Detective Book - Make DIY & STEM Spy Gadgets".
- ^ "The Innovation Whiteboard Winners". New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ^ "The Innovation Whiteboard Winners". New York Times. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
- ^ "Glow-In-The-Dark Table Will Make You Want To Get Your DIY On". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ^ "How to build a glow-in-the-dark table". Wired UK. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Glow table". Instructables. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
- ^ "CIRCULAR SAWS IN THE KITCHEN, GOOD IDEA OR BEST IDEA?". Hack-a-Day. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- ^ "PROJECT OF THE MONTH: THE SOLDERING GUN". Popular Science. Retrieved 21 September 2012.