The MagPi - July 2018

raspberrypi.org/magpi July 2018 91

BRIAN CORTEIL Community

when talking to us about Coretec.
“Over the next year or so, I will be
releasing helpful breakout boards
for making robotics and making a
little easier.”
Brian also tries to attend as many
events as possible, from Maker
Faires to Raspberry Jams, and can

often be found demonstrating
Micro Pi Noon, based on Michael
Horne and Tim Richardson’s Pi
Wars Pi Noon challenge. Two
competitors battle to pop the
balloons attached to each other’s
robots; the last to retain an inflated
balloon is the winner. “Thousands
of balloons have been sacrificed to
the maker gods,” he admits.

When it comes to discussing his

project builds and robots, Brian

is first to list the people to whom

he’s beholden. “I like to thank the

people who have supported me in

my adventures in making, first of

all the members of Makespace for

helping me turn my crazy ideas into

working things,” he begins, before

mentioning organisations such as

Pimoroni, Tim and Mike (the minds

behind Pi Wars), and makers Robert

Karpinski and Mark Mellows “for

checking my electronic designs and

answering my silly questions and

their help in being awarded a blue

ribbon at this year’s Maker Faire UK

in Newcastle.”

HIGHLIGHTS

DIGITAL ZOETROPE

Brian’s digital zoetrope uses 12 Adafruit OLED screens

connected to a Raspberry Pi. Each screen displays a

single frame of a video; when the device is spun, the

video can be viewed through gaps in the outer wall.

A modern take on a mid-19th century classic.

ROBOTS

When it comes to robots, Brian is the Cambridge maker

extraordinaire. From the A6-sized Tiny to the whopping

Revenge, his robots dominate competitions and

Raspberry Jams alike.

magpi.cc/muyKWe

NAUGHTY OR NICE

The Naughty or Nice machine determines your level

of naughtiness in time for the arrival of Santa. And for

some ‘unknown reason’, smaller hands tend to boost

the level of niceness.

magpi.cc/xpLluo

magpi.cc/2cotnva

Thousands of balloons have been

sacrificed to the maker gods

Brian won a blue ribbon

at this year’s Maker

Faire Newcastle for his

robot builds, including

the six-wheel Revenge

and A6-sized Tiny

Micro Pi Noon pits balloon-clad

robots against each other, with

the last balloon holder standing

hailed the winner