In this lab, the goal was to learn the basics of circuits and switches. I created two simple circuits: series and parallel. After creating the circuits, I had to design a switch and a creative enclosure.
Step One: Learn how breadboards work and figure out what resistors I need for a red and white LED. (I need 470 ohm and 220 ohm resistors)
After getting the boring part done, I started building the circuits. This was difficult at first because I have zero experience with circuits, but after a few google searches and asking my peers and instructor several of questions, I finally figured it out. My breadboards are very messy, but they get the job done.
Now the fun part. Since Halloween is around the corner and Target has all their Halloween directions up, I decided to make an origami Jack-O'lantern. In my first prototype, I found out the one 9"x9" was way too small, so I taped 4 sheets of paper together to make a lantern that would cover the entire breadboard.
Here's a quick run down on how I built the origami lantern:
1. Fold the paper in half to make it a triangle, then do it again.
2. I don't really know how to explain this, but get the paper to show one large triangle with the other sides indented.
3. Then fold the bottom corners up on all sides, like so.
4. Once you have made a smaller square, fold the middle corner in.
5. Here's where its gets tricky. There's an extra flap of paper. Take that flap fold it in half and then tuck that in the pocket.
6. So, now you just have to fold the sides down and gently blow up the lantern. And Voila! You have an oranger paper lantern.
Optional: To make mine a Jack-O'Lantern I carved out a face with and exact-o blade and taped some black tissue paper to the inside for good measure.
I also carved out the bottom, so the lantern could cover the breadboard.
And finally, the hard part. The switch. As I am writing this, my switch only works half the time, but that's my fault for using pipe cleaners.
The overall aesthetic of on enclosure is cute and kiddish. To keep with that theme, I decided to make my switch/button out of a green pipe cleaner.
I had to strip the tips of the pipe cleaner, so it could make a connection with my jumper wires. When the connection is established, the pipe cleaner works just fine as a switch, but the issue I had with this project is that I couldn't create a reliable way of establishing the connection.
I made a very crude button by taping the jumper wires flat to the top of the pumpkin and then cutting a small whole where the pipe cleaner stem would go. Theoretically, when you pull the stem up the LEDs would turn on. However, in reality when I pull the stem a lot of the times, the pipe cleaner isn't aligned with the jumper wires, so nothing happens. Or on the rare chance the wires and pipe cleaner are aligned, when I pull the stem the lights turn on, but they turn off the second you let go of the stem. There are a lot of errors in my switch design, but now I know for future projects that I will need to spend a large portion of time prototyping and designing switches.
Anyways, here is the final product in all its glory.
댓글