I just barely got the talk proposal in on time for the Open Hardware Summit coming up in September.
Here’s an excerpt from what I submitted. Wish me luck!
What you intend to talk about:
Bitbeam is a LEGO Technic-compatible building technology. Bitbeam can be printed on a 3D-printer or cut with a CNC router or laser-cutter, which means it can be made out of plastic, wood, or aluminum.
Bitbeam is also inspired by another project called “grid beam”. Grid beam is an open system similar to Erector Sets, but can be used to create life size objects like desks, tables, chairs, shelves, lamps, and even electric vehicles.
This talk will cover:
- The history of bitbeam and grid beam
- The history of the building toy market
- How to make bitbeam with a 3d-printers or laser-cutters
- The future of the project (more robots, more kits)
An explanation of the importance of your submission to the open-hardware community:
The toy industry as a whole, and building toy companies, in particular, are traditionally secretive and closed. The parts in these systems are often very expensive to source. That has to change. Open source needs to extend into the construction toy market. Toy companies should encourage users to create building toy parts with 3d-printers and CNC machines. Bitbeam is a project that assumes open manufacturing and open participation will be the future of the toy industry.
The Bitbeam project has been featured on the MakerBot and Make blogs, Popular Science, O’Reilly Radar, and CNET News.
Photo samples:
Bitbeam 
Yeah! Thank you for the submission.