An object with some LEDs that turns on and off with a homemade switch. It can be anything: sculptural, architectural, toy-like, stange, functional, useless. Try to use an unexpected material, and/or design an unexpected behavior.
Remember - a switch is just two pieces of conductive materials that touch together and come apart. Besides wire, try knives, coins, jewelry, silverware, tinfoil, springs… anything metal might work. And salty water! Design-wise, you can hide wires inside something else so it doesn’t look “electrical”.
Have fun! Play around, hack into stuff, experiment.
Write a blog post about your process and final result. Write down any questions as well! Questions are good.
We will distribute more components on Thursday. For now, you can find wires of various colors, resistors, and LEDs in the VFL supply closet and in our 3rd Floor Studio (Ask Rodel if you need anything specific). Additionally, you can get 9V battery connectors, more LEDs, electrical tape, and lots of other stuff locally at MicroCenter or online at Sparkfun or Adafruit. If you’re ordering parts online, remember to make time for shipping.
You don’t need to use the breadboard; it’s probably easier to hide wiring without it, but either way make your wiring neat.
We didn’t cover methods of attaching things yet, so you can just twist wires together, or use tape (electrical tape is best but duct tape works in a pinch), hot glue, or anything else that keeps the metal connection firm. Wrapping a wire around a screw and screwing into something with a piece of metal under it works well, if that’s an option. Solid-core wire is easier to put in a breadboard but twisted/stranded wire is easier to braid together. There should be both kinds in the supply closet. (If you know how to solder already, great, go ahead.)
If you want to make something small, try coin cell batteries! CR2032 is the standard, but any will work. You can tape wires to the battery but it will be more reliable if you use a holder. Here’s a single battery holder (3V), and here’s a double battery holder (6V) You don’t need conductive thread for the single sewable battery holder, any wire will work.
Why would you use 6V vs 3V?
To light up more LEDs! You don’t need resistors for a single coin cell battery. If you use higher voltage batteries, you will. Don’t forget to calculate resistance for your power source (3V, 6V, or 9V)!
Eample: LED circuit with 9V battery
Practice Ohm’s Law on your own, verify with this calculator. NOTE: this shows the next highest common resistor value, not the exact calculation.
Here’s a more in depth explanation of using Ohm’s Law with multiple LEDs
Some projects from last year’s students: Sunwoo’s blog, Brenda’s blog,