In The Event That...

You're a Love-Struck Tech Geek

by Annamarya Scaccia

Valentine LED WorkshopSat., Feb. 2, 1-4 p.m., $45, registration required, the Hacktory at Nonprofit Technology Resources, 1524 Brandywine St., 215-564-6686, thehacktory.org

There's something romantic about digital love — robotic moans and binary codes racing as electronic loins touch. (At least that's what we imagine it's like when Johnny 5 gets it on.) At the Hacktory Project's Valentines workshop, nerdy cupids can show off their microcircuit skills while creating gifts for their significant other.

"We wanted to teach the basics of soldering and give people something to take home," says Vanja Buvac, co-founder of the Hacktory, a spinoff of MakePhilly that promotes the use of technology in the arts. During the workshop, participants will learn the fundamentals of electronics and soldering (the process of fusing two metal parts by melting a filler metal into the joint) while making flashing light-emitting diode (LED) hearts.

So why bother when last-minute candy and flowers have been cutting it for years? "You'll have a nice blinking heart for your valentine and a warm feeling of supporting Philadelphia's technological efforts," says Buvac. Hot and hot.