Welcome to the world of electronics!
This folder might feel overwhelming since it covers everything, so we recommend visiting the folder titled “Interactivity Lab” on the main landing page (you’ll find it next to the PD folder).
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Welcome to the world of electronics!
This folder might feel overwhelming since it covers everything, so we recommend visiting the folder titled “Interactivity Lab” on the main landing page (you’ll find it next to the PD folder).
Designing with Electronics
LEVEL 1: Coin Cell
3
Volts
A battery is a device that stores chemical energy and converts it to electrical energy. The chemical reactions in a battery involve the flow of electrons from one material (electrode) to another, through an external circuit. The flow of electrons provides an electric current that can be used to do work.
THE BATTERY
1.8 - 3.3
Volts
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current flows through it. LEDs have positive (+) and negative (-) sides to them. For an LED to work it needs to be connected to a voltage source with the correct side.
THE LED
By pinching the two wires coming out of LED on either side of the 3V button cell battery, we can create a circuit by connecting the + side of the battery to the - side of the battery, which results in the flow of electrons through the wires and the Light Emitting Diode.
THE SIMPLEST CIRCUIT
Electrons jumping from atom to atom in the metal (a conductor material) is the flow of electricity.
STUDENTS EXAMPLE
LEVEL 2: SIMPLE CIRCUIT
ACTIVITY MATERIALS
A switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit. Interrupting the electric current turns the LED off, connecting the current turns it on.
THE SWITCH
An LED circuit requires three basic elements. The light, the wires that create a loop, and a battery.
A switch can also be added to allow you to open and close the circuit, turning on and off the light.
+
-
a switch is an electrical drawbridge when the bridge is up the electrons can't go anywhere
the Light Emitting Diode [LED] will provide our light
the battery holds the electrons
LED CIRCUIT BASICS
LEDs
switch
wires
batteries
LED
switch
battery
BUILDING A SIMPLE CIRCUIT
Securing the wires to the switch
Attach the metal ends of wires through holes of switch prongs
Secure each side with tape - make sure the wires aren't touching each other!
There is an option to replace wires with copper tape and insert a coin cell on the corner left
Techniques for Paper Circuits
Use folding action to complete the circuit
Lay battery flat and attach copper tape to the top and bottom
Make sure the positive terminal of the LED is connected to the positive terminal of the batter, and vice versa.
LEVEL 3: Motors
To Create a Motor Circuit
Power Supply
(Batteries)
Motor
(Takes electricity and uses it to spin)
Connector
(Conductive Wire)
Connecting the Circuit
Either use crocodile clips
or
if you have a battery pack use the wires to connect the battery to the DC motor
ARDUINO
Arduino Board
Breadboards
Allows you to connect different components together when you need to share things like POWER (5V and GND).
Arduino is a small computer that uses code to tell it what to do, like turning lights on and off.
High or Low
0-255 (brightness, speed)
Arduino : Read a Code
Put ; at the end of every commands
The curly brackets {} are used to enclose functions and conditional statements.
Indent!Indent!Indent!
Declare variables that will be used
Anything that will keep looping
Anything that only needs to run once
Water Sensor
Flex Sensor
Infrared (IR) Sensor
Temperature Sensor
Servo
DC Motor
Photoresistor
Accelerometer Sensor + Joystick Module
Force Sensitive Resistor
Motion Sensor
LED
NeoPixel
Ultrasound
Buzzer
LCD Screen
OUTPUTS
INPUTS
Arduino : Components
Water Sensor
Flex Sensor
Infrared (IR) Sensor
Temperature Sensor
Servo
DC Motor
Photoresistor
Accelerometer Sensor + Joystick Module
Force Sensitive Resistor
Motion Sensor
LED
NeoPixel
Ultrasound
Buzzer
LCD Screen
OUTPUTS
INPUTS
Arduino : Components
The combinations are endless
LEVEL 4
Arduino with LED
Water Sensor
Flex Sensor
Infrared (IR) Sensor
Temperature Sensor
Servo
DC Motor
Photoresistor
Accelerometer Sensor + Joystick Module
Force Sensitive Resistor
Force Sensitive Resistor
LED
NeoPixel
Ultrasound
Buzzer
LCD Screen
OUTPUTS
INPUTS
Arduino : Components
Components Needed:
int ledPin = 13;
void setup() {
// Set pin 13 as an output pin
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
}
void loop() {
// Turn the LED on
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
delay(1000);
// Turn the LED off
digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);
// Wait for a second
delay(1000);
}
Circuit Build
Math:
Students can program LEDs to light up in specific patterns to represent geometric transformations, the Fibonacci sequence, or fractal patterns. This combines coding, geometry, and electronics for visual learning.
LED
OUTPUTS
Literature:
Create an interactive book or diorama using sensors, lights, and sound effects triggered by certain actions. Students can use conductive materials or sensors to trigger sounds, LED lights, or animations in response to different parts of a story.
Physics:
Build a solar system model where each planet is equipped with sensors and LEDs that light up when students interact with them.
Student Project Example
School: LAMBA - Studio: Responsive Architecture
Arduino +LED
Cardboard Prototype
Water Sensor
Flex Sensor
Infrared (IR) Sensor
Temperature Sensor
Servo
DC Motor
Photoresistor
Accelerometer Sensor + Joystick Module
Force Sensitive Resistor
Force Sensitive Resistor
LED
NeoPixel
Ultrasound
Buzzer
LCD Screen
OUTPUTS
INPUTS
Build a smart plant monitoring system using sensors (e.g., moisture, light, temperature) connected to a microcontroller like Arduino
Track and manage rainfall in a community garden
Build an erosion detection system that uses multiple water sensors and LEDs to map and visualize erosion patterns in a small-scale landscape model.
Biology
Student Project Example
School: Kelvinside- Studio: Cyborg Enhancement
Arduino + LED + Water Sensor
Rain Water Collection Device
Water Sensor
Flex Sensor
Infrared (IR) Sensor
Temperature Sensor
Servo
DC Motor
Photoresistor
Accelerometer Sensor + Joystick Module
Force Sensitive Resistor
Motion sensor
Neopixel
NeoPixel
Ultrasound
Buzzer
LCD Screen
OUTPUTS
INPUTS
Arduino : Components
Art: Design an art installation where NeoPixels light up in patterns triggered by movement.
Physics: Students can build their own cars, pendulums, or projectile launchers and use sensors to gather data on motion, force, and energy in real-time. These data points can be graphed and analyzed using computer software.
Math:
Students can program LEDs to light up in specific patterns to represent geometric transformations, the Fibonacci sequence, or fractal patterns. This combines coding, geometry, and electronics for visual learning.
School: KARAM- Studio: UN GOALS
NeoPixel + Motion Sensor
Student Project Example
School: KARAM- Studio: UN GOALS
NeoPixel + Switch
Student Project Example
LEVEL 5
Arduino with Servo
Components Needed:
STUDENT EXAMPLE
School: LAMBA - Studio: Cyborg Enhancement
Student Project Example
LEVEL 6
Arduino with Inputs
#define trigPin 13
#define echoPin 12
#define led 11
void setup()
{ Serial.begin (9600);
pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(echoPin, INPUT);
pinMode(led, OUTPUT);
}
void loop()
{ long duration, distance;
digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(2);
digitalWrite(trigPin, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(10);
digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);
distance = (duration/2) / 29.1;
if (distance < 10)
{ digitalWrite(led,HIGH);
}
else {
digitalWrite(led,LOW);
}
Serial.print(distance);
Serial.println(" cm");
delay(500);
}
Components Needed:
Water Sensor
Flex Sensor
Infrared (IR) Sensor
Temperature Sensor
Servo
DC Motor
Photoresistor
Accelerometer Sensor + Joystick Module
Force Sensitive Resistor
Motion Sensor
LED
NeoPixel
Ultrasound
Buzzer
LCD Screen
OUTPUTS
INPUTS
Arduino : Components
Music + Math:
Use a flex sensor to control the Arduino, which reads the sensor's bend and triggers a buzzer to play tones based on mathematical sequences like Fibonacci or prime numbers. The more the sensor bends, the higher the tone produced by the buzzer.
LEVEL 6
Arduino (2 sensors)
School: KARAM- Studio: UN GOALS
Servos + Ultrasound + Neopixel
Student Project Example
School: CAMBRIDGE- Studio: Emoto-Bots
Student Project Example
School: CAMBRIDGE- Studio: Emoto-Bots
LEDS + Servos + Ultrasound
Student Project Example
