Brooklyn-Based Alpha One Labs

Alpha One Labs is a very active hackerspace located in Brooklyn. They frequently host events and offer many services to their members.

Mary Auriti is co-founder and secretary at Alpha One Labs. We ask her what she has to tell us about her space:

What’s your meeting space like?

Approximately 900 sq. ft. with 18 ft. ceilings which could accommodate a second floor. We have a wall of pegboard with tools and custom built shelves with clear containers for supplies as well as small bins for little items. There is eight heavy duty desks, a taller work table and an adjustable height desk/work table. In the front area of our space we have a little lounge area with a small sofa, book shelf, fridge, coffee maker, big flat screen TV, twitter LED scroller, old school video consoles and games, and a gallery wall featuring a local artist’s work.

What tools do you have in your space? (Soldering stations? Oscilloscopes? 3-D printers?)

We have a JCUT 6090 laser cutter, a RepRap, drill press, saws, a Dremel, and other hand tools. Also, oscilloscopes and soldering irons.

If you could add three more tools, what would they be?

Welder, Epilogue laser cutter, and a CNC 5 axis mill

Does your group work with embedded tech (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, embedded security, MCU-based designs, etc.)?

We use Arduinos and are getting into Raspberry Pi.

Can you tell us about some of your group’s recent tech projects?

We have had a wide range of projects come through our lab as well as the ongoing big project of the physical lab space itself. Some projects from the past four years are:

• the “Twitmas Tree” (ornaments that light up every time someone tweets a holiday related word)
• butter churning with kosher cream from bed sty
• self-watering rooftop veggie garden
• LED hat displaying preset or dynamic messages
• Internet time piece
• and a stair climbing wheelchair — to name few

What’s the craziest project your group or group members have completed?

“Shot in the Dark” — A laser pointing to the center of the toilet bowel so men have a target.

Where can the CC Community learn more about it?

We post all our events on our web site alphaonelabs.com and host a few meetups from time to time as people contact us. We like to be there for any group that needs us and shares our interests in the great wide space of making, art, technology, science, education, environmentalism, hacking.

What would you like to say to fellow hackers out there?

Come on down! We are open to all and love the diversity of people who come through our lab. We are consistently working on making our lab a place to encourage innovation and give people what they need to get their projects off the ground.

Keep up with Alpha One Labs! Check out their Facebook page or Twitter feed for current events or to get involved.

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