Geek-Culture News
Dragon*Con 2012: The Artistry of Science
Posted 3:52 pm on Monday, September 10th, 2012 by Mariano Uvalle
Photo courtesy of ApparitionAbolishers.com
Electrical engineer Grant Imahara (MythBusters) emceed the tenth annual Dragon*Con Masquerade honoring Leah D’Andrea with their Best in Show accolade. During Leah’s introduction she approached the podium gesturing the host to activate her digital gauntlet. Grant stood captivated with laughter when a touch-activated iPhone deployed mechanical wings from Leah’s character (Chloe Seachord).
Her wings, elegantly constructed by Chris Lee’s (a.k.a. Dr. Mortimer J. Torque) Steamology inspired design create an elliptical pattern of gears, electrodes and motors elaborately entwined. The winged spectacle of engineered artistry astounds and should inspire future reproductions. The internal mechanism employs a customized iPhone App and a microcontroller called the Arduino Uno that directs an AdaFruit Motor Shield to expand and retract position through electric potentiality. The aptitude of this particular design may influence a new breed of technology based cosplaying and artistic craftwork.
Other notable 2012 winners included; Wayne Neumaier’s Doctor Dalek character who clearly exterminated the competition by winning Best TV/Sci-Fi/Humor category. Best Patriotic Skit went to Captain America and the USO Dancing Girls. The Best Monster recipients towered above them all when Jamie and Julie price presented their Dinosaur skeleton costumes.
This year’s Dragon*con masquerade continued to push the envelope of innovation and creative design by not only incorporating electrical and mechanical engineering but by substantiating the hopes and dreams of our prolific artists. By sheer magnitude of each new creation or the talented voices of our up and coming performers, Dragon*con will further continue to reach new echelons in the chronicles of our universe.
It is up to us to envisage an opus of dreams and then materialize its composition to life, for that is truly the artistry of science. Science fiction is the vehicle that we will use to drive our technologic frontiers of tomorrow. And the semblance of those dreams can further advance our collective knowledge as a civilization. Science fiction derived in art can sometimes become metamorphosed to exist, improving and further integrating our civilization with the universe. The artistry of our science in all its forms must be celebrated and acknowledged, Dragon*con is that achievement. Neil DeGrasse Tyson once said “The geek shall inherit the Earth.” And I agree…
Dragon*con 2012
Currently I am part of the Chemistry dept. at the University of Washington. I am scheduled to graduate with a B.A. in Chemistry (Spring of 2013). My interests include music production, anime, journalism, recording and videography.
