On 13/07/2011 09:13, Oli Glaser wrote:
> I didn't notice any claims of it being a "big deal", or anything other
> than a switch - just a way to get children interested in electronics.
> Unless I'm missing something, it seems like a nice idea to me...

Something better done at home using it to turn on/off a door bell or a=20
dismantled torch. IMO not worthy of fund-raising. Or "kits". Everyone=20
has paper, foil and something that can be cut as the spacer (egg carton=20
lids, jiffy bag, cut up washing up sponge) etc.

Nor does it warrant mentioning of Arduino.

In the late 1950s on TV the BBC was showing young kids how to make a one=20
valve battery radio (a predecessor show to Blue Peter, though both ran=20
at same time for a short while) . A switch is a 2 minute novelty. Yes=20
it's cute. But not worth funding. Nor does it do very much for interest=20
in Electronics. So after fifty years we have progressed from getting=20
kids to build a radio to making a switch.

I taught 5 of my kids how to make a radio (winding the coil) before they=20
Teenagers. Also how to read schematics.
Interesting Chemistry using simply stuff from kitchen.
Boats with engine made out of loop of  broken telescopic aerial  (bent=20
with heat from a cigarette lighter, no one here smokes, but I always=20
have one or two for Macgyver use.
Got them to saw and nail their own gang hut out of old palettes (before=20
Teenagers).
Planting flowers and vegetables from old enough to talk
Made shadow prints in bathroom with objects, and a box of photo paper
Let them take photos and enlarge and develop using a Slide projector as=20
Enlarger.

Then later soldering and how to design  Vero layouts.


Two are Applications Engineers in Analog Devices. Both can do=20
Electronics, Desktop programming, Embedded programming etc before end of=20
1st year at college. One has Masters & PhD
One is Environmental Scientist
One did Landscape Architecture and now makes Warhammer dioramas and=20
models as well as rasiing kids
One is starting Uni in Autumn doing English and New Media

I know about kids. This "project" is the sort of thing I'd do in an odd=20
20 mins after they had already done light bulbs, batteries and regular=20
switches, out of scrap already in the house. Part of the "fun" would be=20
obtaining and experimenting with different ingredients, not using a=20
"kit" . Not something I'd fund with donations.







--=20
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