1. PGCE Design Technology Session 3
Pneumatic and computer control
This session we will look at 2 D movement focusing on levers and linkages and types of motion
You will need a little background knowledge in this area but again if you are unsure of anything search on the internet
This is useful for helping the children to create very basic movement in their products
Design and Technology PGCE

2. Types of control Mechanical Electronic Computer aided
The control of movement by mechanical means
Electronic
The control of movement using electricity
Computer aided
The control of the behaviour of external devices using a computer
The main types of control are these four
Pneumatic and hydraulic are a type of mechanical switch.
Mechanical – levers – strings and rods – winches with handles
Pneumatic and hydraulic – using air and water respectively
Electronic – use of electrical components to control movement
Computer aided – use of a computer to control external components
Our daily lives are full of control methods – we are using switches all the time.
Light switches, radios – supermarket – beam at the end of the conveyor belt stops belt moving
Some examples are a simple can opener or a pop-up card
Design and Technology PGCE

3. Control by mechanisms
Mechanical control normally involves changing one type of movement into another type
Strings and rods
Wheels and axles
Levers, linkages and pivots
Winches or handles
Pneumatics and hydraulics
Belts and pulleys
Cams
Gears
Strings and rods – puppets – grabbers
Levers linkages and pivots – card models we made
Winches or handles- linked to belts and pulleys – make a mechanical winch – easy with construction kits
Cams – useful for bobbing up and down motion
Gears – use construction kits – many available in Key Stage 1 classrooms
Design and Technology PGCE

4. Pneumatic and hydraulic control
The control of movement by transferring air or water usually through tubing
Balloons
Balloon pumps
Washing-up liquid bottles
Polythene bags
Syringes
This type of control is often used in conjunction with levers and linkages
Increased pressure on one end will result in movement at the other end.
Imagine two syringes connected by tubing – if you have water or air in one you can push the syringe and create movement in the other by allowing the liquid/air to transfer down the tubing forcing the other syringe to open.
See it in children’s toys, those spiders that you press on the pressure pad and they move.
Can demonstrate using a squeezy bottle and balloon air in bottle transferred down tubing to mouth of a monster.
Design and Technology PGCE

5. Make a moving monster controlled by pneumatics!
Task 1
Make a moving monster controlled by pneumatics!
See if you can plan a classroom activity using machines or mechanisms.
Do this in groups of three or four.
Think about how you would intrduce the activity.
How many children would you be working with? – a group or the whole class
Approximately how long will the activity take? – 30 minutes or three days.
Will you involve a practical activity, think about the practical applications, resources etc
What learning outcomes do you hope the children will come away with.
Be prepared to talk briefly about your activity with the rest of the group.
Use your National Curriculum document to remind you of the types of activities you can do, FPTs, IDEAs and DMAs
Design and Technology PGCE

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9. Control with electricity
This type of control is generally used in conjunction with a range of mechanisms In primary Design and Technology the main electrical components used are:
light bulbs
buzzers
motors
These can be all controlled by simple electronics
In the home many devices are controlled by simple electrical switches
As I stressed last week, these are really the main components you will come across in the primary classroom.
Anything used to control electrical components such as bulbs, batteries and buzzers.
Even touching the battery with the wire is using control.
Design and Technology PGCE

10. Simple electrical switches
Can be operated in a variety of ways
Turned
Tilted
Pressed
The children can design their own switches to suit their needs
Aluminium foil or paper clips are useful for the connections
Most of you made a simple electrical switch last week when we made the fairground rides.
The simplest is using drawing pins and paper clips and it just gives a little more control than simply touching the battery with the wire.
Children can design their own switches using material that will conduct electricity.
It is useful if they have experimented with circuits and conductors to be able to create a switch.
Crocodile clips are quite a useful means of testing conductivity and experimenting with circuits.
Foil tends to be cheap and easily available – as are paperclips
Design and Technology PGCE

11. Computer control
Often can be used as an extension of work with electricity
Earlier experience of electrical circuits is essential
Useful for more sophisticated products
Computer control is used as Design and Technology activities become more complex – Key Stage 2 activities normally
The children need to have the familiarity with electrical components and understand how a circuit works.
Overlap with understanding in science here.
Design and Technology PGCE

12. Control using the computer
Interface components
Suitable software
Output components such as bulbs, buzzers or motors
Can also use input components such as switches, pressure pads, light sensors etc
To work on a computer controlled activity in the classroom you will need to consider the computer, the interface, suitable software and the output components.
An interface is a means of communicating the electronic instructions from the computer to the output components
Anything used to control electrical components such as bulbs, motors and buzzers.
Software needed should be in school, you will need to talk to your teacher or the D and T co ordinator to find out what is available.
Also this is an ICT project where overlap is inevitable.
Can develop D and T projects into ICT projects just by using computer control.
Input components will require more sophisticated software – this is where a message is sent to the computer from the output devices – they go through the interface to the computer – the message is dealt with – it then sends a message out through the interface and back to the output components which then respond in the appropriate manner.
Design and Technology PGCE

13. Use of output components
Type of products suitable for development are:
a toy with flashing eyes
a set of traffic lights
Traffic lights are a fantastic project in school – good for sequencing
Can extend this activity to use output components – for example – a ste of traffic lights should turn green when a pressure pad is activated.
This is what happens in real life at quiet junctions – as a car approaches a beam is cut or some form of signal is given and this activates the traffic lights and turns them green if they have not been activated on the other side.
Can also make flashing lights using programmes.
Can get devices which you can programme on the computer then transfer onto some form of cell – put these in the model and they will control the device – Neil’s light house flashing the lights in Morse code.
Design and Technology PGCE

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18. Using input and output components
This combination is used in more complex assignments
Type of activity could be:
Create an alarm triggered by someone stepping on a pressure pad
Make a level crossing barrier which rises when a vehicle approaches
As I said before about the traffic lights – this type of activity need the combination of both input and output components and is about as complex as you would want to get in Primary D and T – Definitely a Year 6 activity!
Design and Technology PGCE

19. Programmable Toys
Useful as an introduction to computer controlled products
Involves a list of instructions programmed directly into the device
Examples found in the classroom are generally floor turtles
Useful as an introduction to computer controlled products as they cut out the linking of devices using an interface and the whole process can be experimented with in one device.
Involves a list of programmes put directly into the device and these are obeyed systematically – in order
Generally find ‘Roamer’ or ‘Big Track’ in classrooms
Design and Technology PGCE

20. programme your toy to travel around an obstacle course
Task 1
programme your toy to travel around an obstacle course
See if you can plan a classroom activity using machines or mechanisms.
Do this in groups of three or four.
Think about how you would intrduce the activity.
How many children would you be working with? – a group or the whole class
Approximately how long will the activity take? – 30 minutes or three days.
Will you involve a practical activity, think about the practical applications, resources etc
What learning outcomes do you hope the children will come away with.
Be prepared to talk briefly about your activity with the rest of the group.
Use your National Curriculum document to remind you of the types of activities you can do, FPTs, IDEAs and DMAs
Design and Technology PGCE

21. Resources Construction kits Software Posters Published resources
Lego, Duplo, Capsela
Crocodile Clips ,
Design and Technology PGCE

22. Safety Issues Classroom organisation Supervision Tool safety
Risk assessment on any school visits
Finally, as ever, we need to look at safety issues.
Classroom organisation is always important and must be considered carefully.
Adult supervision helps, especially with tool safety.
You are in charge so you must provide a safe environment for the children.
School visits must have a risk assessment form before they take place and contact numbers.
Lots more issues surrounding visits but you should deal with these in the main lectures.
To summarise, simple movement adds such a lot of interest to a product that it is worth investing the time to understand it and develop ways to introduce it to the children.
Design and Technology PGCE