Kids Bring Trial and Error to Life with 3D Printed Petting Zoo
A group of kids aged 7 to 13 are building a unique petting zoo at Maker Faire Bay Area in Vallejo, California. The 3D Printed Robot Petting Zoo will feature over 20 creatures made with 3D printers, LEDs, motors, buttons, gears, and electronics. Unlike traditional zoos, visitors are encouraged to touch the animals and interact with them.
The kids start by designing an animal, either real or imaginary, and then decide what it should do. They may design from scratch or modify existing 3D models, adding tricks like LEDs, servos, motors, buttons, or gears. The goal is not to build advanced robots but to make static prints come to life.
The exhibit will showcase a variety of creatures, including Ember the Dragon with its articulated spine and LED eyes, Glow Jelly with its ring of LEDs inside, and Inchy the Caterpillar that crawls when you clap. The kids will also display their broken prints, melted parts, and earlier versions, offering visitors a chance to ask about what went wrong and how they fixed it.