Open-Source Electronics Pioneer Limor Fried on the DIY Revolution

(upbeat piano music)

I think everyone loves to be creative

whether that is painting or writing.

So, building electronic devices is their way

of being part of this community of high-tech devices

but also having something that we are ourselves built.

So, there's something personal about it.

I've been making stuff since I was a little kid.

I remember taking apart the VCR and breaking it,

taking apart the home computer.

The Adafruit machine is to educate people

about electronics and share really cool projects.

I love to do these stuff and after I finish a project,

I would just like to share it with the world

using open source hardware and open source software

and we also sell kits at the end.

So, if people wanna build it themselves,

they could just pickup a pack

and then follow our detailed tutorials.

Over the last six years, we moved from me doing all the kits

and shipping using grocery bags and my dorm room

to now, we have a studio in Downtown Manhattan

and eight employees.

Our kits range from the $20 MintyBoost

which is a DIY iPod, iPhone charger,

you can build that in a few hours,

up to a $350 synthesizer that has 500 components

and takes a whole month to complete.

We get all these emails from kids who say,

I never thought I would learn how to solder

or do a tool engineering

but I really wanted to build a TV-B-Gone,

and so, I went and I learned this new skill

and now, I'm excited to become a maker

So we're actually making makers here.

(rock instrumental music)