Unconventional Switch - Atari 2600

 

For my unconventional switch, I sought to solve a problem that personally benefited me. I have an Atari 2600, a game console that dates back to the early 1980s, but due to its age and poor design, the power switch has worn out. As a result, the system will only work if the power switch is in the perfect position. A piece of aluminum foil is fixed to the upper part of the power switch groove (the “sweet spot”) for the positive clamp to be fixed. The switches on the Atari are also made of aluminum, making them conductive, acting as a perfect vessel for the negative clamp. Once the switch touches the foil, my circuit is completed and the blue LED powers on. Any shifting will interrupt the circuit, meaning that the switch is not in the right position, even though it was flipped up. Even though this indicator I made is just a temporary fix for a more technical problem, it provided me with an opportunity to explore circuits for the first time, and to think critically about how to apply this new knowledge to solve a problem.