Recitation 1: Electronics & Soldering
Partner: Nathan Wang
Date: 15th February
Circuit 1: Doorbell
Components:
Breadboard, LM7805 Voltage Regulator, Push-Button Switch, speaker, 100 nF (0.1uF) Capacitor, 12-volt power supply, wire
Functions of each component:
LM7805 Voltage Regulator: maintain a constant voltage level.
Breadboard: provide a base for making electronic connections
Capacitor: stabilize and smooth the flow of electricity, store the current
Speaker: make sound
Switch: interrupt the flow of current through a circuit
Wire: enable the current to flow
12-volt power supply: supply power
The problem we encountered: At first we did not understand how the wires inside the breadboard are connected and work, which makes us do not know how to start. With the help of a learning assistant, we successfully compared the circuit diagram to the breadboard and made it.
Circuit 2: LED
Components: Breadboard, LM7805 Voltage Regulator, Push-Button Switch, 220-Ohm Resistor, LED, 100 nF (0.1uF) Capacitor, 12-volt power supply, wire
Functions of each component:
Breadboard: provide a base for making electronic connections
Resistor: control the flow of current, protect the LED from being burnt
Capacitor: stabilize and smooth the flow of electricity, store the current
LED: shine
Switch: interrupt the flow of current through a circuit
Wire: enable the current to flow
12-volt power supply: supply power
The problem we encountered: Our switch was broken at first, we put it into our circuit but it did not work for no reason. We checked our circuit over and over aging but still cannot light the led. Even the learning assistant could not figure out where the problem is. But luckily we found out that the switch was broken.
Circuit3:
Component: Breadboard, LM7805 Voltage Regulator, Push-Button Switch, 100 nF (0.1uF) Capacitor, 12-volt power supply, wire, Variable Resistor, LED
Functions of each component:
Breadboard: provide a base for making electronic connections
Resistor: control the flow of current, protect the LED from being burnt
Capacitor: stabilize and smooth the flow of electricity, store the current
LED: shine
Switch: interrupt the flow of current through a circuit
Wire: enable the current to flow
12-volt power supply: supply power
Variable Resistor: adjust the amount of resistance
Process:
We changed several components from the last circuit and successfully made it work.
Question 1:
I think the switches are the interactive part in our circuits. Because we can control the doorbell and lead by pushing the switch. This process includes input and output. We can get feedback from circuits by our motion input. That is a reciprocal process.
Question2:
In my opinion, for Interactive art, we need to address the reciprocal process in the physical computing design. Because interaction is at some rate a two-sided activity. Hence we can design circuits to be able to be controlled by using switches or variable resistors, which can provide different forms of interaction such as the speaker makes a sound and the LED is lighted.