K–12 Mechatronics Projects

Light Refraction & Reflection

Mechatronics/Process Control Laboratory
Servomotor

Light source Light sensor

The reflection experiment test-bed is used for

both light reflection and absorption
experiments.
A common laser pointer is used as the light
source. A photoresistor is used as the light
sensor.
KEY PARTS: SERVOMOTORS
PHOTORESISTOR
LASER POINTER
 Light Refraction & Reflection
Mechatronics/Process Control Laboratory
Light source

Light sensor

Potentiometer

Limit switches

The refraction experiment test-bed is used to

measure the index of refraction for various media.

KEY PARTS: SERVOMOTOR

DC MOTOR
PHOTORESISTOR
LINEAR POTENTIOMETER
LASER POINTER
H-BRIDGE
LIMIT SWITCH
 Heat Conduction & Periodic Motion
Mechatronics/Process Control Laboratory

DB-15 adapter
DS1620

The conduction experiment test-bed is used to

measure heat conductivity through the rod. A hole
has been bored into one end of each rod for the
heating element to be inserted. The other end of
the rod is placed into an ice water bath.

KEY PARTS: THERMAL SENSOR

HEATER
ALUMINIUM ROD
DS1620
ICE BATH
SOLID STATE RELAY
 Heat Conduction & Periodic Motion
Mechatronics/Process Control Laboratory
Horizontal
reference

θ IR transmitter

Mass
Vertical
r
reference
mg IR receiver

The pendulum experiment test-bed is used to measure the

periodicity of a simple pendulum. The length of the pendulum is
adjusted by the servomotor through a pulley.

KEY PARTS: SERVOMOTOR

INFRARED EMITTER
INFRARED DETECTOR
MASS
 Conductivity Experiment
Mechatronics/Process Control Laboratory

This experiment shows that conductivity of water

increases by adding salt content to the water.
Key
DC Motor
Parts:
Agitator
Reed Relay
Lab Beaker
Electrodes
Flow Control Knob
 Static Friction
Mechatronics/Process Control Laboratory

The static friction coefficient test-bed is used to

Stopper
experimentally determine the coefficient of static
friction between various surfaces. It consists of a IR receiver
horizontal base and a plate that can be rotated
from a level plane to the vertical position.
IR transmitter

Potentiometer ADC with span and

offset

Circuitry

Stopper KEY PARTS:

DC MOTOR
ROTARY POTENTIOMETER
H-Bridge ANALOG DIGITAL CONVERTER
INFRARED EMITTER
DC motor INFRARED DETECTOR
 SMART 2003 Projects
Static Equilibrium
Teachers: Robert Gandolfo & Paul Friedman
T

FH
x 
W3
W2
W1

FV

 FORCES = 0 Vdd
Vdd

 TORQUE = 0 P3 KEY PARTS: TWO SERVOMOTORS

Incline ADC P4 ROTARY POTENTIOMETER
sensor Vdd 0831
P5
SLIDE POTENTIOMETER
LOAD CELL
Vdd
LEAD SCREW
Offset
 The Smart Road
Physics Core Correlation: Kinematics
Teachers: Clay Davis & Richard Balsamel
A Mechatronics Demonstration Project

Board of Education Photogate

Servomotor Assembly and Basic Stamp 2
KEY PARTS: SERVOMOTOR
ROTARY POTENTIOMETER
LEDS
PHOTOTRANSISTORS
 Catch Me If You Can
Teachers: John Luvera & Michael McDonnell

Vo cos 2Vo sin  

x  Voxt 
g
KEY PARTS: SERVOMOTOR
DC MOTOR
ROTARY POTENTIOMETERS
LAUNCHER
H-BRIDGE
SOLID STATE RELAY
ANALOG DIGITAL CONVERTER
The Physics of Projectile Motion
Teachers: William Leacock & Marlene McGarrity

KEY PARTS: SERVOMOTOR

DC MOTOR
ROTARY POTENTIOMETERS
PUSH SOLENOID
H-BRIDGE
INFRARED EMITTERS
PHOTOTRANSISTORS
ANALOG DIGITAL CONVERTER
SOUND PLAYBACK MODULE
 The Ro-Boe-Clock
X
Z9Y9 9
8

Y1
N 4M
4L
Teachers: Michelle Carpenter-Smith & David Deutsch
A10
B10 4
C 10 J4
O4
ED 10
10 I4
GF10 6
H 1010

J9 4

K9
L I9 L3
N 99
M9
S2
P9
O9 2 V2
H2 Q9 W2
R9
E8 D8 T9
X2 F3
F8 B9 P4
G C9 Y2
H8 E3
I88 A9
A8

To teach children ages 4-7

J8 Z2 D3
Z7
10 K8 5 B8 T2 A35 B3 C3 U2 10
L W7 J5 Q4
M88 R5
N8 K5
O8
P8 E7 L5
D7 2 S
Z6 Y T5 5
F7 6 M 5

J7
I7
H7
G7

C7
A7

B7
4
U5

O 6
N
M6
L6
how to tell time
6 P6 6
Z5

A6

Encoder

KEY PARTS: BINARY ENCODER

PHOTORESISTORS
ROTARY POTENTIOMETER
SERVOMOTORS
INFRARED EMITTER
INFRARED DETECTOR
MOBILE ROBOT
 2004 SMART Projects
The SMART Intersection
Teachers: Michael Koumoullos & Robert Winston

Key Parts: IR LED

IR Phototransistor
Mechanical Relay
Light bulb
 Quantum Leap
Teachers: Amanda, Gunning, & Ram Avni

This project demonstrates absorption or emission spectra

when an electron moves from one shell to another
Key
Servomotor
Parts:
Photoresistor
LEDs
 The SMART Weather Balloon
Teachers: Ronald Occhiogrosso & Lennox Henry

The SMART Weather Balloon captures Temperature

and Pressure data from 0 to 9 m high.

Key Temperature/Humidity
Parts: Sensor
Parallax Homework Board
Radio Controlled Balloon
 Velocity Monitoring via Magnetic Interaction
Teachers: Vincent Pereira & Steven Scharf

This project proves the Faradays Law that there is a linear relationship
between the induced voltage in a coil and the rate at which the magnetic
field changes within the loops
Key Parts: Coil
Magnet
IR LED
IR Phototransistor
Operational Amplifier
Analog Digital Converter
 I Push! You Push Back!: Newton’s 3rd
Law in Action
Teachers: Dvora Geller, Ed Gruber, & Denise McNamara

This project proves Newton’s Third Law of motion

Key
LCD
Parts:
Load Cell
Punch Mitt
 2005 SMART Projects
Coefficient of Restitution the
Bouncing Ball
Teachers: Lennon Safe and Carol Obler

The coefficient of restitution is a number which

indicates how much kinetic energy (energy of motion)
remains after a collision of two objects. This project
measures the coefficient of restitution and determines
how elastic the object is.

Key Parts : Ultrasonic Sensor

DC Motor
 Vehicle of Revolution
Teachers: Henry Penna, Michael Fishenfeld, and Douraine Stewart

The objective of the project is to build a preprogrammed model that will roll or
drive a certain distance. The student determines the number of revolutions that
the car will make to get to the target and student will enter that prediction into the
model vehicle’s display screen and then observe moving vehicle.

Lexan
Key Parts: DC Motor
LCD Display
Gears
 Earth’s Seasonal Heat Absorption
and Climate Regions Model
Teachers: Joseph Renna and Rodolfo Vera

The Earth-Sun insolation model effectively shows the differences in

heat absorption at three latitudes set in the Northern Hemisphere
Analog Temperature Probes
Servo Motor
Key Parts:
LCD Display
Plexi Glass
 The Heat Seeking Flame
Probe

Teachers: Michael Francesco and

Fady Ishak

The Heat Seeking Flame Probe (HSFP)

determines the hottest section in a flame.It
will vertically traverse a flame,sampling
different temperatures, until it locates the
hottest section of the flame.

Type K Thermocouple
ADC 0831
Key Parts:
Servo Motor
Plexiglass
 Finding the Critical Angle of a
Prism
Teachers: Mustafa Kilic and Thomas Byrne

This project finds the critical angle of a medium. It explains

Concept of total internal reflection.

Photoresistor
ADC 0831 Chip
Key Parts:
Laser
Acrylic Lens
 The Smart Resonance Tube
Teachers: Joe Rodichok and Robert Morris

The SMART Resonance Tube will accurately determine the tube length which forces
the tube into its first mode of vibration. This essentially makes the tube accept the
selected frequency as its first harmonic frequency.

Speaker and Microphone

Key Parts: Dc Motor
Position Sensor
 The Codon Decoder
Teachers: Vera Mihalcik and Cameron Jahn

Models the process of protein synthesis within the ribosome. Helps students
understand which amino acids are created by manipulating RNA coding.

LCD
Key Parts: Potentiometer knob
Buttons
Servo motors and belts
 Robo Submarine
Teachers: Joy Hinds and James
Kevin Mcmahon

This project illustrates the Archimedes'

Principle. The Robo submarine descends into a
body of water, stay for a set period of time,
collect data and stores the collected data

Key Parts: Solenoids 12 volt

Tank Valve
Airbrush propellers
pvc pipes