Unconventional Switch- Electronics team 1

Our unconventional switch uses switches that are connected to a guitar string and a guitar pick with a coin underneath it. This switch represents a possibility of how we could use these types of LED switches to play a lightshow and music at the same time. The circuit starts off open when the pick and the guitar aren’t touching each other however when the person starts to play music with the pic it closes the circuit creating the LED to turn on whenever the player strikes a cord. The light wouldn’t light up without someone playing the guitar because the pick and guitar will never be in contact unless someone uses both items to close the circuit allowing it to light up the LED. These items also go well together considering they were manufactured to be used in harmony and not a forced item to be used to close the switch.

https://youtu.be/KGKURFcF9v8?si=6DsbhF3kPr_1KE8G

Unconventional Switch - Team 6

This switch is made for a simple LED light with a single resistor, 3 alligator clips, and the items for our switch in question. The clamps, resistor and light were a very simple situation, just the simple math of finding which resistor would be needed. Once it was graphed, we simply needed to find a switch, so we immediately delved into what we had on hand. We had plenty, a metal comb, tweezers, keys and keychains but nothing that matched a potential theme until I found out the bottle opener, we had was conductive. A worthwhile $2.50 investment from the vending machine later, and we were able to have our theme of the average crunch of late-degree workloads with a white monster and an old keychain with faded paint.

Made by Melanie Nainstein and Michael Madden

Mapping - Ignacio Vergara

 

Mapping

Concept Description

For this mapping assignment, I created a project called The Alchemist’s Oracle. The project is designed as an alchemist’s workbench used to explore possible outcomes of a transmutation process before actually performing it. The goal is to allow the Alchemist aka the user to experiment with different combinations of inputs and receive immediate visual feedback, reducing both magic material cost and risk of self evaporation. The final output is represented by a crystal that lights up in different colors, symbolizing the predicted result of the transmutation.

The system uses three different inputs, each representing a specific component in the process. The first input controls the amount of suspension being added, the second controls the stabilizer, and the third represents how much “soul” from the alchemist is embedded into the transmutation. By adjusting these inputs, the user can test different combinations and observe how the expected outcome changes through color variation in the RGB LED.

Technical Description

Technically, each input is connected to a separate analog pin on the Arduino. The values read from these inputs are mapped directly to the RGB LED channels. The potentiometer controls the green channel, the photoresistor controls the blue channel, and the joystick controls the red channel. As the analog values change, the brightness of each color changes accordingly. When only one input is active, the LED displays one of the primary colors. When multiple inputs are active, the colors blend together, creating secondary colors. This project demonstrates how analog sensor data can be mapped to meaningful visual output using an Arduino.

 Video Demonstration

 

 Photos

 Sketch

  

 

Schematic

Code

const int ledPinR = 9;

const int ledPinB = 11;

const int ledPinG = 10;

const int knobPin = A0;

const int photoPin = A1;

const int joyXPin = A5;

const int joyYPin = A4;

const int Min = 78;

const int Max = 735;

void setup()

{

  pinMode(knobPin, INPUT);

  pinMode(photoPin, INPUT);

  pinMode(joyXPin, INPUT);

  pinMode(joyYPin, INPUT);

 

  pinMode(ledPinR, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(ledPinB, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(ledPinG, OUTPUT);

 

   Serial.begin(9600);

}

void loop()

{

  //Photoresistor

  int photoValue = analogRead(photoPin);

  int mapPhotoVal = map(photoValue,Min, Max, 0, 255);

  mapPhotoVal = constrain(mapPhotoVal, 0, 255);

  analogWrite(ledPinG,mapPhotoVal);

  //Serial.print("The photo value is: ");

  //Serial.println(photoValue);*/

  delay(100);

 

  //Knob

  int knobValue = analogRead(knobPin);

  int mapknobVal = map(knobValue,0, 1023, 0, 255);

  analogWrite(ledPinR,mapknobVal);

  //Serial.print("The knob value is: ");

  //Serial.println(mapknobVal);

  //Joystick

  int joyXValue = analogRead(joyXPin);

  int mapJoyXVal = map(joyXValue,0, 1023, 0, 255);

  analogWrite(ledPinB,mapJoyXVal);

  Serial.print("The joy X value is: ");

  Serial.println(joyXValue);

}

 

Unconventional Switch

 

The concept behind our switch is a way to notify people when someone relapses. If someone were trying to quit drinking a particular beverage, with this setup when they grab that drink a light will turn on notifying people they know who could stage an intervention and help. Our switch uses a 5 volt power supply connected to a breadboard , a 100 ohm resistor, two alligator clips, a green LED, and two pieces of aluminum foil. One piece of foil is on the bottle, connected to one alligator clip, and the other piece of foil is on the user's hand connected to the other alligator clip. When the two pieces of foil touch, the LED lights up. 

Video: https://youtu.be/tv3a5tr8CPw

Unconventional Switch: Bathroom Stall

 

Unconventional Switch Video

Our unconventional switch uses two aluminum foil sheets and a key to represent conductive pads and a bathroom stall lock. The lock is always attached to one conductive pad, and when the stall is locked, the metal lock touches the second conductive pad, closing the circuit and lighting a green LED on the outside of the door to indicate that the stall is occupied. The materials reinforce the concept because it required intentionality to connect both conductive pads, making no accidental contact possible, and the LED lighting up naturally reflects the bathroom stall being in use. It is a clear communicative way to relay the occupancy of a stall.

Unconventional Switch: Spoons (Electronics Team 20)

In this project, two spoons are wired to either end of a circuit - one to power, the other to ground. It is inspired by the use of spoons as a musical instrument by striking them together in a rhythmic fashion; both spoons are conductive so that, when struck together, they close the circuit and thus cause an LED to light up. In this way, it adds a flashing light show to accompany the clacking of the spoons themselves.

The lower half of the spoons' handles are tied with ribbons to insulate the grip and make sure the LED only lights when the convex sides are tapped (the main musical part, not just random contact on the back end.) The light green ribbons also add a little homemade sparkle to a homemade instrument. The ribbons are taped down with basic Scotch tape, and the spoons are clipped close to the inside of the alligator clips so nothing comes loose with the kinetic force of playing the spoons.

V=I*R, so R=V/I = (5-2)/.02 = 150 ohms

Unconventional Switch: Catan Robber Tracker

In Catan, the robber piece can be cause for alarm. It blocks resource production and can even steal your cards. For our unconventional switch, placing the robber on specific hex tiles lights up an LED. Players can think of it like a danger light. When the light turns on, the robber is directly affecting them. Our switch can also use LEDs of different colors, allowing for a clear distinction between players. To achieve this, our switch uses a 5V power supply hooked up to a laptop, three alligator clips, a 100Ω resistor, a green LED, a blue LED, a breadboard, a robber piece from Catan wrapped in aluminum foil, and at least two hex tiles from Catan also wrapped in aluminum foil.