Dance Pad Project By: David Dorsten

Understand  Electric Engineering Project = Dance Pad and Light Bulb Station  This activity will demonstrate the engineering design process. Each team has built a  dependable, functional electric circuit. Depending on which specified part of the dance pad is  stepped on, electricity will flow to the corresponding numbered light making it flash. An open  circuit turns off the appliance.  Build a ¼ scale (11 x 17 inches) dance pad that students step on to flash a light according to  specifications.

Materials  6V Battery pack (4 AA batteries) or 6V Lantern Battery  ÿ Aluminum foil  ÿ Four light bulbs  ÿ Four light sockets  ÿ 2 11 x 17 inch sheets of corrugated cardboard  ÿ Duct tape  ÿ Electrical wire  ÿ Scissors, Tape, Construction paper  ÿ Wire strippers  ÿ Diodes  ÿ Electrical connectors and solder  ÿ Electrical Tape  ÿ Foam peanut packing material (or some other soft, flexible, durable spacer)  ÿ Shoe box (For lights)

Concept  Dance Pad Mania:  Electricity flows to the light and it flashes. An open circuit turns off the appliance.  Hint: use the dance pad to open and close the circuit – it becomes the switch! As  you build, make sure the circuit works and that it will be able to stand up to some  rugged treatment. How do I build the pad so that when it is stepped on a light  will turn on and when it is released, the light will turn off? How will I wire it so  that it works according to specifications? How will I build a switch into my pad to  turn the light on and off? How can I make it sturdy enough to withstand constant  stomping? How will I wire it to fulfill the assignment requirements? Build the  pad, then test it with a single light bulb for each section. Step on it several times  in a row to turn a light on and off. How well did it work? For example, loose wires  will make the pad stop working.  Light Bulb Station  Hint: Connect the battery and light bulbs outside the station first. Investigate  different connection methods. How do you connect electricity to the light bulb to  make it work? How do I make a light bulb station so the light bulbs are fixed, don’t  move, and work as required? How big do I make the station? How do you make  the individual lights work? How do you make multiple lights work with the same  intensity

Prototypes

How it Works  There are 6 different light options marked separately on the dance pad cardboard  and shown below:  1. Lights 1 and 4 light up simultaneously  2. All four lights light up together (1 through 4 light up)  3. Number 1 only  4. Number 2 only  5. Number 3 only  6. Number 4 only  When each separate pad number option is pressed down, tin foil with the positive  wire contacts tin foil on the other half of the switch, allowing electricity to flow to  the light and the negative side of the light goes to the negative side of the battery,  thus completing the circuit.  When the pad is released, the wires lose their connection and the light turns off.  All of the positive wires are routed to a connector that has a common positive  wire. All the negative wires are routed to a connector that has a common negative  wire.  Regarding the pad that controls multiple lights, each wire leading from the switch  has a diode which prevents electricity from flowing back and turning on any undesired lights

How it Works 2  The 5 volt diodes allow electricity to flow one way but do not allow it to flow back.  All of the wires labeled “1” connect to the switches numbered 1 (both pads) and have a  connector routing a common 1 wire to the light bulb labeled 1. The diode on the wires  coming from the pad that has 1 and 4 and 1,2,3,4 prevents lights 2,3 and 4 from turning  on when 1 is pressed.  All of the number “2” wires connect to the #2 pad. They connect with a connector  routing a common 2 wire to the light bulb labeled 2. The diode on the wire from the  1,2,3,4 switch prevents lights 1,3 and 4 from turning on when 2 is pressed.  All of the number “3” wires connected to the 3 pad connect with a connector routing a  common 3 wire to the light bulb labeled 3. The diode on wire leading from the 1,2,3,4  switch prevents lights 1,2 and 4 from turning on when 3 is pressed.  All of the number “4” wires on both pads that have a “4” on the switch (4 on the large  pad, 1 & 4, 1,2,3,4 on the smaller pad) to the 4 pad connect with a connector routing a  common 4 wire to the light bulb labeled 4. The small pad has diodes on both “4” wires  leaving the switch to prevent electricity to “bleed” back to the other wires. These diodes  prevents lights 1,2 and 3 from turning on when 4 is pressed..

How it Works 3  Numbers 1 and 4 each have two diodes because 1 & 4 can light up 3 different  ways.  1. Each number 1 or 4 can light up by itself  2. Numbers 1 and 4 can light up together  3. 1,2,3 and 4 can all light up together  The diodes prevent electricity from flowing back to the switches and activating  other undesired lights. Think of them as a one way valve.

How it Works 4  The 4 light bulbs all are connected to a common negative wires to the battery.  The 1+4 pad and the 1,2,3,4 pad have their own separate wire from the positive  battery.  The 4 individual numbers connect to a common positive wire on the top board  which connects back to the battery.  Each foil acts as a switch when the two separate pieces make contact.  There is foam packing material and rolled up duct tape between the bottom  and top pads to allow support, protect the wires and allow the pad to be used  without breaking it and to provide space to keep the switches (aluminum foil)  from touching.  To keep the wires from becoming loose, I used duct tape and electrical tape to  hold them in place.

Testing  While designing and testing, I used a meter to  test that electricity would flow from the foil  to another foil, and wires to the foil. Once the  test was successful, I put the switches in place  and secured them with electrical tape, then  tested everything again. Each step was tested  at least twice to make sure that the switches  and wires would work and everything was  repeatable.

Light Bulb Assembly  I used card board to secure my light bulb  assemblies. I punched a small hole then made  it slightly larger and fit the bulb assemblies  (socket, connectors, and bulb) and secured  them with electrical tape on both sides. I used  the underside to store some of the wiring.

Size of Project  This station can really be almost any size. I  used a 11”X17” dance pad, 13”X 3.5” and a  a sheet of cardboard (measuring 8” by 10”.  This project can be much  larger or even smaller.