During this project we got a taste of electronics and coding. Our final project was the robot art show, but we worked up to it slowly by starting with very simple circuits. This project was very independent. We were given packets with circuits and instructions that get progressively more complicated and detailed. Most things we learned were from experimenting and figuring out what the results meant on our own.
Part One (packet 1)
This was the beginning of our electricity unit. We were given a packet with circuits to make and directions, as well as materials, such as batteries, wires and light bulbs. With each new circuit, I learned new things about how electricity behaves. I learned the difference between current* and voltage*, and how they each effect bulb brightness, as well as about a bulbs resistance* on the circuit. Also, I learned how current and voltage both behave when going through parallels* and series*. Learning all of this information with our partners instead of from a textbook was way more interesting and challenging, and had more of am effect.
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Part Two (packet 2)
When we were using this packet, we implemented breadboards* into our circuit. Breadboard help to hold all the components in a more organized and compact way. This lessens the need for bulky wires that tangle and disconnect easily. We also started using new components in our circuits like specific resistors, potentiometers, LEDS, capacitors, etc. the circuits we created began to do more interesting, and practical things.
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Part Three (Arduino)
The Arduino program tested what we have learned and gave me a glimpse of coding. We used a breadboard with a mini computer that connects to a laptop. We followed the instructions for each new section, making the circuit and sending the code to the breadboard the make the program work. We took notes on the commands and which code did what. This gave me some insight into something very complicated and comprehensive that takes a lot of knowledge and understanding on a deep level to do.
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Part Four (robot art show)
This project encompassed all we had learned during our electricity unit. The goal was to create a coded art show on our breadboard using the commands we had learned. We choose to make a buzzer play twinkle twinkle little star. This means we have to program the board with the correct timing, pitch for each note, amount of notes, spacing, and song ending. Trying to find the errors we made proved quite challenge and getting evening to sound correct was not easy. In the end I believe we achieved something good. below are pictures of our circuit setup as well as the code we used for our song.
Content*
CIRCUIT-a closed loop of conductive material with an energy course flowing through it
CURRENT- the flow of electrical current through a circuit VOLTAGE- the potential energy of an amount of charge in a circuit RESISTANCE-opposition to flow of current my a material (measured in Ω) PARALLEL CIRCUIT- A circuit in which the wires split and come back together SERIES CIRCUIT- a circuit where the components are lined up one after another BREADBOARD-a plastic and metal board the holds and connects electrical components in an organized way CODING-the conversion of text to electronic signals |
Reflection
This project was very interesting to me. It really opened my eyes to see how things, like phones and computers into perspective in a sense that the technology is insanely complicated and detailed. The simple coding that we did, which I found complicated and hard to understand at times, is very basic compared to the devices we us, and the work that we did made me appreciate them more. I was truly surprised at what we were able to learn with a packet of papers, electrical components, and minimal direct instruction. At some point it could be tedious building so many circuits, but the information we were able to get from them on our own was valuable. If I could change one thing, I would have not spend as long running the Arduino programs, and would have had more time to spend creating a more involved art show, but I am proud of the work my partner and I did. I think this project taught me so much, not only giving me more insight into electronics than I thought it could, but also the fact that i was able to learn so much just by trying things out and understanding why they did what they did on my own.