City Tech's Entertainment Technology Department Wins "Blue Ribbon" Editor's Choice Award at Maker Faire

	Professors Sue Brandt and John Huntington accepting a Blue Ribbon Editor's Choice award at Maker Faire NYC on behalf of City Tech's Entertainment Technology department.

For the second year in a row, City Tech's Entertainment Technology department projects display won a Blue Ribbon Editor's Choice award at the Maker Faire New York. This award is given "to the Makers that have demonstrated great creativity, ingenuity, and innovation for their Maker Faire project. These ribbons are handed out at each event and signify the highlights of Maker Faire." (http://makerfaire.com/blue-ribbon/)

This year's Entertainment Technology display featured two interactive entertainment technology projects developed and presented in the collaborative way that is at the heart of the Entertainment Technology department's process. "Trash Can Man" is a pop-up animatronic character that is a part of the department's annual Gravesend Inn haunted hotel attraction. The pop-up head was crafted by now alumnus John Tamerlani when he was a student in professor Charles Scott's "Monster Shop" class (Tamerlani is now working at CBS Television and is a member of the Local 1 stagehands union.) The pop up effect's theme park-grade interactive mechanical, audio, and lighting control system features control gear from Automation Direct and Alcorn McBride, and was designed and programmed by professor John Huntington, and built, wired, and installed by a student crew.

Professor Sue Brandt presented her Arduino-powered Interactive LED children's book, Princess Quest. This book leads young children on a treasure quest written by professor Brandt, and features an interactive wand and wirelessly-linked crown. When readers discover the secret in the reading, selected LED's in the book and crown light when readers move the wand over the correct place in the associated illustrations.