Maker space company takes center stage at Shenzhen faire

Mushroom Cloud Maker Space showcased a range of AI applications in hardware, education and ecosystem development at last weekend's popular 2025 Maker Faire Shenzhen.

The company brought a variety of interactive AI hardware projects to the event, including smart assistants, edge-AI devices, robotics and a mini automobile, displaying how artificial intelligence is steadily evolving from algorithms into tangible, real-world products that feature in everyday life.

The AI Bunny smart assistant, for instance, is built on the Unihiker K10 board and integrates the "XiaoZhi" large language model. Equipped with a touchscreen, microphone and camera, it supports ready-to-use voice and image recognition. Its natural, chat-based interaction made it a popular stop for tech enthusiasts and schoolchildren visiting the exhibition.

During the Faire, Mushroom Cloud ran a beginner-friendly workshop that introduced newcomers to AI and embedded development through a simple "five-minute light-up" coding exercise.

The workshop guided participants through the set-up of the development board and basic AI functions, and demonstrated how the AI assistant can generate embedded code from natural-language inputs to perform tasks such as voice-activated lighting and simple speech output.

Beyond the interactive displays, the booth doubled as a location for laidback conversation. Over the course of the event, Mushroom Cloud co-founder and several product leads met with makers to exchange ideas on the future of AI-hardware integration.

"This was more than an exhibition. It was a warm, inspiring space to meet peers and exchange ideas," said one visitor.