SYDNEY, N.S. — Ideas will be converted from concepts and abstract notions to metal, plastic and electronics as a first of its kind sharing of ideas and skills comes to Cape Breton.
Prototype East is billed as Cape Breton’s first hardware prototyping conference and will focus on hardware development and then a hands-on workshop in the Nova Scotia Power Makerspace.
“It’s actually, I’m almost going to say, infinitely easier to sell a prototype than an idea,” said Matt Swan, director of Nova Scotia Power Makerspace in Sydney.
“If you say to somebody ‘I have this great idea for a new spoon,’ OK. But if you show them ‘look at this new spoon and look what it can do’ you are suddenly leaps ahead towards actually establishing a business and getting support for it.”
To that end, Prototype East on Nov. 27-28 will provide a mix of theory and tech building as hardware experts share knowledge on how to turn a prototype into commercial-grade products.
“You instantly put them on the same page as you when you can put something in their hand instead of just trying to describe it. Words are flawed in that way,” said Frederick Boutilier, Makerspace technical assistant.
“Just to carry on with the spoon example, you know those gyroscopic spoons they make for people with different nervous capabilities. I imagine the people pitching them originally would have had a hard time getting people to believe that would be a real thing, but as soon as you put that spoon in somebody’s hand. I guess that’s the two-fold part of it — to get people on the same page immediately but also make what you are saying believable.”
While many will come to Prototype East with ideas in hand — or head —another aspect of the conference is to uncover even more ideas from those who sign on.
“I believe we live in a very creative area and people are constantly fixing their own problems and not making the leap to my fix for my own problem is something that could be commercializable,” Swan said. “I could take this and make it solve the problem for other people — that’s not a leap that’s as common as you might think.”
Prototype East
- When: Nov. 27-28.
- Where: Holiday Inn, Sydney, Nova Scotia Power Makerspace.
- What: Hardware prototyping conference.
- About: Hardware experts share knowledge on how to build your prototype to a commercial grade product. Experts range from idea stage pen to paper stages to selling your prototype to your client.
- Register: Online - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/prototype-east-tickets-77164596385
Ultimately, what he’d like to see happen is many more people manufacturing products, not just in the Makerspace, but all around the island.
“I understand tech is always going to be considered something that’s really high-end. Tech in my mind comes down fairly low as well, new technology that you are putting into peoples’ hands, making it available for them; if we can make it here, then let’s do it.”
The format for Prototype East will see theory, practicality and experience sharing on the agenda during morning sessions at the Holiday Inn in Sydney. When things shift to the Makerspace all of its aspects and materials and equipment will be put to good use.
“We’ll have mentors on site. If people do show up with real products, real projects, real ideas, that they need help with, they can get that morning theory and guidance from the platform, so to say, and then come here and actually get the hands-on help. What comes out of that, I’m really interested to see.”
Another aspect of note about Prototype East is that it is itself a prototype, said Swan, as in there’s no other such conference that its organizers could find to fit the model they will present later this month. If it’s successful, plans are to immediately do another that caters to some of the specific needs expected to be identified.
Already an estimated 40 people have signed on and more are expected as the conference draws closer.
Visit the Nova Scotia Power Makerspace Facebook for more details on Prototype East and to signup for other Makerspace programming.
ABOUT PROTOTYPE EAST
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