The 38th annual Trenton Computer Festival (TCF), the world’s original personal computer show, was held Saturday, March 16, 2013 at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing Township, NJ. TCF was an excellent opportunity to see, learn about, and discuss the latest in computers and digital and electronics technology while interacting with leaders in the field.
Frank O’Brien, a Solar System Ambassador for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and volunteer at the Infoage Science/History Learning Center in Camp Evans, NJ, delivered the keynote address at the 38th annual Trenton Computer Festival (TCF), which was held at the College of New Jersey, Ewing on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Supporting the festival’s focus on robotics, O’Brien’s topic is “Roving Robots on Mars: The Journey of Curiosity.” The speech took place in TCNJ’s Physics Building at 2:35 pm.
The keynote speech was just one of the many events at TCF ’13. There were over 50 talks and workshops scheduled! Seven robotics oriented talks and the Micromouse robot contest compliment O’Brien’s talk. Other events included:
- Object-Oriented Programming University: a one day hands on introduction to object oriented programming by Mike Redlich, President of the Amateur Computer Group of New Jersey
- Arduino Workshop: A day of Arduino talks and hands on demonstrations
- Workshop on Developing Applications for Android Phones and Tablets
- All day presentations on Microsoft and Apple technologies and programs
- A full day of presentations on issues of interest to IT professionals
- Presentations on issues pertaining to STEM education, cloud computing, and more
- Ham Cram: The David Sarnoff Radio Club will prepare you to obtain your amateur radio license in one day
- Special exhibits/demonstrations on 3D printing, historic computers, digital photography and more!
- Check out their flyer for more information
And the ever-popular Flea Market/Vendor Fair
The doors opened at 9 am for registration and the indoor Flea Market/Vendor Fair and exhibits. Presentations began at 10:15 am. TCF ended the day program at 5 pm; the banquet followed in the 1855 Room at 6 pm.
Admission to TCF for those 12 and over was $10 per person. Children under 12 received free admission. Banquet tickets could also be purchased for $25 per person. Credit cards and PayPal could be used only for advance tickets; tickets could be purchased at the door only on a cash basis. Parking was free.
Attendees also had the chance to tour the campus to observe the FIRST Robotics District Competition and a programming contest, the Hackathon, which took place at TCNJ that weekend.
TCF was started in 1976 by Sol Libes, founder of the Amateur Computer Group of New Jersey, and Dr. Allen Katz, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at TCNJ. TCF is sponsored by the School of Engineering at TCNJ. Groups supporting TCF include the Amateur Computer Group of New Jersey, the New York Amateur Computer Club (NYACC), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) and its Princeton / Central Jersey section, the Princeton Joint Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)/IEEE Computer Society Chapter, and the David Sarnoff Radio Club.
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