High school technology project ideas??

[Cy-Fy]

Hello guys I'm finishing my first year of GCSEs here in the UK and we are starting to do our project for next year. It's about systems and control so we need to design and manufacture something that is electronic but also works through computer control.

For example a LED light sequence and we use flowcharts to program the chips that go into the PCB.

Now my problem is that I have no idea of what to do, the teacher only gives us stupid boring ideas like a memory game with 4 colours or a countdown watch but I wanted to make something much more interesting like a bike speedometre or something.

What do you guys think I could do??? Thanks a lot for your help!!

[Zeke]

A gauss gun with the ability to vary the output power (either by limiting the charge on capacitors or making it multi-stage).

 

Or maybe an ammo counter for airsoft guns.

[Cy-Fy]

A gauss gun with the ability to vary the output power (either by limiting the charge on capacitors or making it multi-stage).

mmm forgot to mention that the project is meant to solve a real life problem but hey thanks anyway!!

[T.Vengeance]

I know...another boring idea, but how about taking text (idk from a keyboard or something) and converting it to morse code?

[SeanAngelo]

what year are you in?

[Zeke]

mmm forgot to mention that the project is meant to solve a real life problem but hey thanks anyway!!

Technically it can solve a real life problem if you make it powerful enough.

 

Maybe your own smart house system?

[Volbet]

I don't know if this would be possible, but make a laser, that can blink in morse code. The code it would then get from regular text in a word processor.

The practical implementation would be to transfer information over a distance.

 

If you are really awesome, you will also make a light sensor, and software, that can translate it in other end.

[IronSoldier]

Voltage reader. What I did in AS Electronics.

 

Basically read adc. Convert to digital. Is it greater than this.. repeat until not greater. out put to LEDS. 3 leds and volktage is good. 2 leds and voltage is ok. 1 and it is bad. no leds..there is no voltage input.

 

Realword issue...battery checker. Just take a couple picaxe chips and you're sorted.

[Cy-Fy]

I know...another boring idea, but how about taking text (idk from a keyboard or something) and converting it to morse code?

dude that's actually very interesting, I just have no idea how I would do that in real life...

[Cy-Fy]

what year are you in?

Finishing Form 4

[Cy-Fy]

I don't know if this would be possible, but make a laser, that can blink in morse code. The code it would then get from regular text in a word processor.

The practical implementation would be to transfer information over a distance.

If you are really awesome, you will also make a light sensor, and software, that can translate it in other end.

Very interesting idea but as I said to the other guy, I don't have any idea on how I would do that hardware and software-wise hehehe

[Zeke]

Very interesting idea but as I said to the other guy, I don't have any idea on how I would do that hardware and software-wise hehehe

Well there's definitely a laser you can control from PC. And on the other end maybe camera equipped with green filter with software that captures the changes of brightness?

[SeanAngelo]

Finishing Form 4

form 4? whats that? wait what O_o

[Cy-Fy]

form 4? whats that? wait what O_o

I'm 15

[Cy-Fy]

Well there's definitely a laser you can control from PC. And on the other end maybe camera equipped with green filter with software that captures the changes of brightness?

yeah but if I'm honest with you it is very difficult for the knowledge that I have and I don't really know how ro do all of that.

Let me explain. We are gonna use a microcontroller that allows us to have 7 inputs and 8 outputs plus an LCD if you want it. So I need to think of a project where lights turn on and a buzzer etc. But I wanted to make it interesting instead of the boring old projects the teacher recommends.

[Maxibonbits]

How much of the project is practical? Is there a documentation component as well?

 

When i was in school the documentation tended to be more valuable when determining my overall grade.

 

Spending time on a simple idea can be beneficial as it will allow time to really improve the quality of the documentation and the product itself.

 

This is a boring answer. But I am not creative enough to suggest something fun.

[T.Vengeance]

dude that's actually very interesting, I just have no idea how I would do that in real life...

You could probably use some microcontroller. Or maybe raspberry pie?

[Cy-Fy]

You could probably use some microcontroller. Or maybe raspberry pie?

yeah I'm using a microcontroller called GENIE E18 and it allows me to have 7 inputs and 8 outputs maximum

[Cy-Fy]

Well there's definitely a laser you can control from PC. And on the other end maybe camera equipped with green filter with software that captures the changes of brightness?

  

How much of the project is practical? Is there a documentation component as well?

 

When i was in school the documentation tended to be more valuable when determining my overall grade.

 

Spending time on a simple idea can be beneficial as it will allow time to really improve the quality of the documentation and the product itself.

 

This is a boring answer. But I am not creative enough to suggest something fun.

  

You could probably use some microcontroller. Or maybe raspberry pie?

Well guys what would you think about making an electronic safe, with a keypad to enter the code and solenoids to lock/open the safe ???

[Zeke]

 Well guys what would you think about making an electronic safe, with a keypad to enter the code and solenoids to lock/open the safe ???

To be practical it should have a beefy backup power source IMO.

[Cy-Fy]

To be practical it should have a beefy backup power source IMO.

hey I asked this to my teacher and she said that it is a good idea but that it doesn't meet what we are required to do. So now I'm thinking of a stopwatch that also has a countdown, what do you think??

[Zeke]

hey I asked this to my teacher and she said that it is a good idea but that it doesn't meet what we are required to do. So now I'm thinking of a stopwatch that also has a countdown, what do you think??

You mean like a handheld stopwatch or a stationary one to set up on a track?

[Cy-Fy]

You mean like a handheld stopwatch or a stationary one to set up on a track?

like a handheld thing or like a small box that has both stopwatch and countdown with a sound at the end

[juretrn]

How about a LED cube? Possibly 3-colour LEDs. 

[Zeke]

like a handheld thing or like a small box that has both stopwatch and countdown with a sound at the end

Yeah, that would be nice. Are you going for a custom PCB?