We are a community with a history for making things. And that tradition goes beyond auto plants and IT firms. How about a machine that measures mental concentration? Or an update to the 19th Century Stirling Engine? Or an innovation that may change the entire glass-blowing industry? Whether it's in garages, school workshops or makerspaces, Metro Detroit inventors are concocting some pretty cool stuff.

It's baaack! Maker Faire is the ultimate celebration of invention and innovation. From gearheads to eggheads to tech heads, this gathering of mad geniuses offers a cornucopia of handmade, homemade, and borderline dangerous creations. Wander a forest made of mannequins! Witness the world's largest Mentos meets Coke experiment! Ride flame-spewing bicycles! It's at The Henry Ford this weekend and you'd be crazy to miss it.

It's about innovation and invention, not stealing your credit card info. With a trio of open-source, boundary-pushing hackerspaces opening in the last year, Metro Detroit has joined the international ranks of hackerdom. More than gadget-obsessed misfits, these make-geeks are out to make our world a little bit better... and more interesting.

Mike is president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. A passionate advocate for the transformation of Michigan's high-tech economy he also managed the MEDC’s $1 billion Michigan Life Sciences Corridor initiative between 2000 and 2002. Mike will be wriing about who's making a difference in the Michigan and why.