For this weeks assignment, we were asked to create an unusual switch. Passing by the NYU sports gyms, inspiration struck. I decided to create a switch that looked like a basketball hoop, and would light an LED when the ball was in the hoop, thus “completing” the circuit.
For this circuit, I created a basketball hoop within which I implemented wires. I wanted a balance between it actually looking like a hoop, but also still being functional. I wrapped a styrofoam ball with aluminium foil to make sure it would conduct electricity, and thus complete the circuit when the ball was dropped into the hoop, making it the catalyst for completing the circuit.
Upon the successful completion of the circuit, an LED would then light up.
I struggled a bit having the wires stay in place, and ensuring that the ball made successful contact with them everytime. My setup was very rough and could probably have used more aesthetic features, but i was more focused on making sure the idea actually worked. Maybe in the future, it might be worth it to try using copper tape to make sure the switch is completed regardless of the balls position.
Overall, I had fun coming up with an idea, and then implementing it to see whether the circuit would be completed or not.
Video of the switch: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bRdIRVIdDPK5BbK1ZsrdfVIz8_hRawbn/view?usp=sharing