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Dance Pad ProjectBy: 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.