For computer programmer Alexii Carey, inventing, creating, building and tinkering have always been sort of a hobby.
In fact, Carey even started the Durango Makers Club, a group of do-it-yourselfers, artists, craftsman and anyone curious that meet up and share their projects.
Inside the new downtown Mancos business last Thursday, IOIO Spark Shop owner Carey had just finished putting the finishing touches on a 3-D printed contraption.
“It’s a leg for this quad copter,” Carey said as he carefully peeled the perfectly formed plastic from the printer’s base.
The original legs didn’t work just right, so Carey tweaked the design a bit, an experiment of sorts, one of dozens of Carey’s projects reflected inside the store.
But Carey’s biggest new project is the store itself. It opened just over a month ago and features a dizzying array of do-it-yourself project ideas and materials.
Take for instance, the 3-D printer.
“I have this here for people who are interested in learning,” he said.
If you want to step into the IOIO Spark shop, you have to catch Carey when he isn’t working at his day job – systems knowledge director and lead programer for E-7 Systems.
“I am mostly open on the weekends and on some evenings,” Carey said.
When you do catch up with him, he’ll gladly show you the latest models of electric bikes (he is the only electric bike dealer in the Four Corners), the newest quad copters and a large amount of electronics, including robots.
Carey points to new technology that allows you to invent and build nearly anything.
For example, the technology allowed Carey to build a sensor that you can place inside potted plants and when they get dry, the system will chirp.
“These have created a huge community of inventors,” he said.
Carey pointed to a self-balancing robot.
“This is really cool,” he said. “You can control it with your phone. You can also design your own.”
Carey hopes his shop attracts inventors and innovators.
“It’s also for people who want to learn how to build their own working system,” he said.
In fact, the shop’s name IOIO, pronounced “yo-yo,” is a nod to those of us that are geeks at heart, Carey said.
“It’s a geek term. It means input, output,” he said.
Carey is working with local schools and the Durango Discovery Museum to help children become innovators and inventors.
“This would be an awesome opportunity to attract young inventors,” he said. “There’s a lot of cool stuff coming. The Internet is an amazing tool.”
Carey will likely try to get you to ride an electric bike.
“They are really awesome and really amazing, and you don’t realize it until you try it,” Carey said.
The bikes can go 25 to 30 miles on one charge and up to 30 mph.
