Tri-Valley Innovation Fair: Robots & Drones

Pleasanton’s Tri-Valley Innovation Fair is pitching science as something you can touch, drive and fly — not just read about. (kqed.org) The free event ran Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, where Quest Science Center and the fairgrounds listed more than 70 exhibits from local companies, schools and community groups. (quest-science.org) A drone is an aircraft flown remotely or by onboard software, and a robot is a machine that senses, decides and moves; the fair uses both as hands-on exhibits instead of static displays. Quest Science Center said visitors could meet scientists and engineers, try indoor and outdoor activities, and watch performances during the day. (quest-science.org) KQED reported that the lineup included robot demonstrations, drones, an electric bus and booths from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the Chabot Space & Science Center, the Lawrence Hall of Science and the University of California, Berkeley Seismology Lab. (kqed.org) That mix reflects the Tri-Valley’s research economy. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory says it was established in 1952 in Livermore, and Sandia says its California lab is part of a broader national-security research system that grew out of postwar weapons work. (llnl.gov) (sandia.gov) Quest Science Center grew out of that same local science culture. The nonprofit says a group of Lawrence Livermore Lab retirees and community leaders began organizing in 2017 to build a science center in downtown Livermore, then expanded with mobile exhibits and community events. (quest-science.org) The fair has also grown into a regional event. Alameda County Fairgrounds called this year’s gathering the 8th annual Tri-Valley Innovation Fair, and the Pleasanton chamber listing said it draws thousands of families. (alamedacountyfair.com) (business.pleasanton.org) Admission was free, but parking at the fairgrounds cost $15, and the venue told visitors to enter through Gate 8 or 12 on Valley Avenue because the Pleasanton Avenue gate was closed for event access. (alamedacountyfair.com) The pitch is simple: put a robot, a drone or an electric bus in front of a family, and science stops looking abstract. In Pleasanton this weekend, Quest and its partners turned that idea into a one-day public showcase. (kqed.org)